Page 58 - SAMENA Trends - December 2023
P. 58

SATELLITE UPDATES  SAMENA TRENDS


                                                SATELLITE NEWS





        Egypt’s Satellite Launch to Advance Climate Research


        Egypt has  launched  its  second earth
        observation  satellite,  the  MisrSat-2,  also
        known as EgyptSat-2, to study the impact of
        climate change on the environment, which,
        in  turn, serves  Egypt’s  efforts  to achieve
        the  2030  United  Nations  Sustainable
        Development  Goals  (SDGs).  Launched
        on 4 December from the Taiyuan Satellite
        Launch  Centre  in  China,  EgyptSat-2  was
        assembled  and  tested  at  the Egyptian
        Space   Agency’s  (EgSA’s)  Satellite
        Assembly,  Integration,  and  Testing  Centre
        (AITC)  – the  largest  of its  kind in  Africa
        and the Middle East, that was established
        within  the  framework  of a partnership   and  satellite-based  services,  according   domestically  produced  space product”.
        between  Egypt  and  China,  according   to a September 2023 report, Why is China   EgyptSat-2  is  one  of  the  initiatives  of  the
        to  EgSA’s  statement.  Under  the  Egypt-  Giving  Satellites  to  Egypt?.  According  to   Egyptian space program. Its work focuses
        China  technical  cooperation  agreement,   the  report,  the  Egyptian  satellite  supports   on  building  human  resource  capabilities
        a team of Egyptian  engineers  from EgSA   China’s  Belt  and  Road  Initiative  and   for space sciences fields and establishing
        collaborated  with  a team  of Chinese   enhances  its  strategic  interests  in  Africa   a scientific research base for utilizing the
        experts  in  every  stage  of the  satellite’s   through its  involvement  in  the  global   space technologies  and  applications  to
        design  and  manufacture.  EgyptSat-2   landscape of satellite communication and   serve the national  development  plans.  It
        aligns  with  China’s  broader  ambition  of   connectivity. But,  according  to the  EgSA   also  aims  to  launch  another  satellite,  the
        expanding its influence in the field of space   statement, the Egyptian team “successfully   National Experimental Satellite (NExSat-1),
        exploration and satellite technology around   developed  one  of  the  components  of the   a  remote-sensing  microsatellite  designed
        the world, along with its presence in space   satellite  completely,  marking  Egypt’s  first   for urban planning, by the end of 2023.





        CRTC to Support High Speed Satellite Internet for All Nunavut Communities


        The   Canadian   Radio-television   and   (CRTC)  announced on 20  December that   speed  satellite  internet  services  for  all
        Telecommunications      Commission   its  Broadband Fund will  support  high   communities in  the  Far North  territory
                                                                                 of  Nunavut  for  the  first  time.  Funding  is
                                                                                 being provided to SSi Micro to upgrade its
                                                                                 satellite  internet  service across  Nunavut,
                                                                                 whilst  further  funding  was  earmarked  for
                                                                                 Keewaytinook  Okimakanak  to  maintain
                                                                                 satellite  internet  connectivity  in  two
                                                                                 First  Nations  communities in Northern
                                                                                 Ontario,  and  also  additional  funding
                                                                                 for  Northwestel  to  deliver  fiber-based
                                                                                 internet  services to Atlin,  an  underserved
                                                                                 Indigenous community in Northern British
                                                                                 Columbia.  Together,  these  projects  will
                                                                                 help  28  Indigenous  communities  access
                                                                                 communications services, and are part of
                                                                                 the CRTC’s ongoing commitment to better
                                                                                 support  reconciliation  with  Indigenous
                                                                                 Peoples.

                                                                                                    58  DECEMBER 2023
   53   54   55   56   57   58   59   60   61   62   63