Photos: Egypt, Kenya, Uganda launch ClimCam climate-monitoring camera to ISS

CAIRO – 11 April 2026: Egypt announced on Saturday the successful launch of the space camera ClimCam to the International Space Station (ISS).

ClimCam will support efforts to monitor climate change and enhance the ability to track extreme weather events in East Africa, the Egyptian Space Agency (EgSA) said.

The mission is the product of an international scientific partnership bringing together the EgSA, the Kenya Space Agency, and the Uganda National Space Programme.

 

The launch was carried out on Saturday, April 11, at 01:41 p.m. Cairo time as part of the Cygnus NG-24 mission. The camera is scheduled to be installed on the Airbus-operated Bartolomeo platform, which is attached to the European Columbus Module aboard the ISS.

The Bartolomeo platform is one of the latest payload hosting platforms in low Earth orbit, providing an advanced environment for conducting scientific experiments and demonstrating space technologies.

What Is ClimCam?

ClimCam is an advanced Earth-observation camera system that relies on multispectral imaging technologies supported by AI algorithms, enabling the capture and analysis of images from areas affected by extreme climate events such as droughts and floods.

 

The data provided by the camera is expected to support rapid response to natural disasters, improve resource management, and enhance monitoring of agricultural productivity in East Africa.

The ClimCam project was selected through an international competition organized by the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA), underscoring its global significance and its role in promoting scientific and technological innovation.

The system is expected to operate for one full year aboard the ISS, providing regular data and imagery of targeted regions, contributing to efforts to monitor climate change and strengthen adaptation to its impacts in the most affected areas.

 

The EgSA said the initiative represents an important milestone in the development of space science and technology in Africa.

The project reflects Egypt’s commitment to supporting regional and international scientific cooperation and leveraging space technologies in service of development and sustainability goals, the agency added.