With China”s assistance Ethiopia will see its first Multi-Spectral Remote Sensing Satellite ETRSS-1 launched into space in November 2019, according to a communication from its Ministry of Innovation and Technology.
According to the document, the Earth observation satellite is under construction by Ethiopian and Chinese experts, in virtue of an agreement signed between the two nations in Addis Ababa.
Space Science Technology Institute General Director Solomon Belay and Deputy President of Chinese Rocket Company Han Chinping signed the agreement.
According to the text, the Chinese Government donated about 6 million dollars for the training of specialists involved in the development process of the satellite, whose cost is estimated at 8 million dollars.
The ambition of Ethiopia to put ETRSS-1 into orbit is to improve climate monitoring capabilities and take advantage of all collateral information.
Ethiopia will become the 9th African country to send a satellite into space, after Ghana, Kenya, Angola, South Africa, Nigeria, Egypt, Algeria and Morocco.
Source: https://www.independent.ng/ethiopia-to-launch-satellite-in-november/