Egypt launches Sat-A from Kazakhstan's 'Baikonur Cosmodrome'

CAIRO – 21 February 2019: Egypt launched, Thursday, EgyptSat-A spacecraft from Kazakhstan's 'Baikonur Cosmodrome' space port, according to the state’s National television.

Egypt’s third Earth observation satellite (EgyptSat-A) was launched with Soyuz-2-1b/Fregat rocket following the EgyptSat 1 spacecraft launched in 2007 and EgyptSat 2 launched in 2014.

According to statement issued by the Cabinet’s Information Center, the satellite’ 11-year mission will be replacing EgyptSat 2 Earth-imaging satellite, which failed in orbit in 2015.

The satellite, which costed approximately $100 million, weighs more than a ton fully fueled. EgyptSat-A was announced to feature several improvements over the EgyptSat 2 design, including improved solar batteries and a high-speed radio link with ground stations.



EgyptSat-A, which arrived its orbit after 11 minutes of the launching, is expected to serve both of the environmental and agricultural sectors in Egypt.

Compared to EgyptSat-2, EgyptSat-A incorporates modernized electrical and flight control systems, an improved imaging payload, a higher-throughput communications system and more efficient solar arrays. EgyptSat-A will also benefit from a more powerful carrier rocket, allowing it to be placed into a sun-synchronous orbit more suited to Earth imaging than the lower-inclination orbit in which EgyptSat-2 operated.

The EgyptSat-A Earth’s remote sensing satellite was developed by the Russian Energia Space Rocket Corporation along with Egypt’s National Authority for Remote Sensing and Space Sciences (NARSS).

The Launching process was witnessed by high-level Egyptian delegation.