South Africa will launch a US$54mn high-resolution satellite project that would aid the country’s disaster management initiatives by providing information on weather conditions
According to local media reports, the South African minister of science and technology, Naledi Pandor, revealed the plan while addressing the South African parliament on the issue of space development.
The minister said that South Africa was seeking to develop the new earth observation satellite in four-and-a-half years as part of the government’s drive to promote economic development in the country.
The minister added that the new satellite plan was part of the African Resource and Environmental Management Satellite (ARM) project, which is a constellation consisting of three or more satellites that will observe natural resources and monitor climate change across the African continent.
Pandor explained, “The new satellite would be sent into low-earth orbit to provide high-resolution images for climate change and disaster management programmes, which would be crucial to the economic growth in industry and agriculture.”
A ministry source added, “The project will coincide with the country’s social development strategy, which aims to apply satellite technology to help improve people’s livelihood and reduce damage caused by natural disasters in the country.”
