China has announced a plan to launch a satellite for DR Congo, which will see the country become the second African nation after Nigeria to receive a satellite from Beijing
China Daily recently reported that China Great Wall Industry Corp had announced plans to launch DR Congo’s first satellite, CongoSat 1, before the end of 2015.
The agreement was signed between China and DR Congo on the sidelines of the Ninth China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition, also known as the Zhuhai Airshow, the report said. It, however, did not disclose the financial details.
The CongoSat 1 design will be based on the DFH 4 satellite platform, which is capable of covering DR Congo and all the central and southern parts of the African continent through the advanced transponders.
China will build ground control and training facilities and train satellite-control personnel for the client, the report said.
The deal has marked the second time that China has exported a satellite to African nations, following the NigComSat 1 launched in 2007 for Nigeria.
Congolese network director-general Richard Achinda Wahilungula said, “Today is a big and historic day for us. Compared with Western nations, China’s satellite technology may arguably not be the most advanced, but it definitely suits the demand of Africa.”
China Great Wall Industry Corp has completed three international contracts in 2012, including the launch of VesselSat 2 for European space systems contractor LuxSpace and VRSS 1, a remote-sensing satellite for Venezuela. It has also launched a similar satellite for Pakistan.
