Egypt’s Nexsat-1 to be launched from China by year-end: EgSA chief

CAIRO - July 7 2023: CEO of the Egyptian Space Agency (EgSA) Sherif Sedky said that the "Nexsat-1" will be launched from China by the end of the current year after successfully completing all tests in Germany.

In statements to the Egyptian Middle East News Agency (MENA) on Friday, Sedky said that the agency's current plan aims at acquiring satellite technology and establishing a "satellite constellation", a group of artificial satellites working together as a system, a matter that will contribute to strengthening Egypt's leading role in Africa in the space science and technology domain.

He further noted that NexSat will be launched from the launch station in China during the coming months of November or December, after EgyptSat-2 satellite, which is set to be launched in October.

EgyptSat-2, aka MisrSat-2, is Egypt's second Earth remote-sounding satellite. The satellite is jointly built by Egypt's National Authority for Remote Sensing and Space Sciences, together with RKK Energiya in Russia.

EgyptSat-2 has a resolution of 1 m in panchromatic mode and 4 m in multispectral mode. The camera can take both single frame images or stereoscopic images and can operate in push-broom continuous imaging mode or in a cartographic mode.

Earlier this month, Sedky stated that Egypt's remote sensing satellite MisrSat2 will be launched from China in October in a meeting with Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouli.

The remote sensing satellite was delivered to Egypt in March, as it was subject to tests at the agency's assembly and integration center headquartered in the New Administrative Capital.

Those included electrical tests, dynamic loading simulation of the satellite's space model, electromagnetic harmony test, simulation of space environment, and communication tests.

Sedky has said that the agency's plan to launch many satellites aims for reinforcing Egypt's pioneering role in the field of space technology and sciences in Africa, and making room for the participation of African states in space projects that serve the 2063 Africa Development Agenda through the African Space Agency.