The country launched Horus 1 satellite from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in northwest China into a sun-synchronous Low Earth Orbit (LEO) in late February.

Horus satellites were launched in line with Egypt's strategic goal for sustainable development by 2030, he said in a phone-in with state-run Channel 1.

Horus 2 will identify the finest crops produced in various sectors, improve the use of Egypt's natural resources, and boost exports. Agricultural land will be best utilised, leading to food self-sufficiency and a decrease in the need for hard currency, Sedky said.

The Horus satellites contain high-resolution, multi-spectral imaging cameras that capture high-resolution pictures to help understand the surroundings.

"Horus satellites are part of Egypt and China's strategic collaboration," said Sedky, adding that "an Egyptian-Chinese team of experts were completely engaged in the development, production, manufacturing, and testing of these satellites."

Egypt is accomplishing one of its main objectives in the localisation of the satellite industry and technology through this cooperation with China, he noted.

In August 2019, the country established the Egyptian Space Agency as a public economic authority with a legal standing under the direction of the president.

The agency aims to create, transfer space technology development, localise, and own self-capabilities to build and launch satellites from Egyptian territory.

Egypt – which became the first Arab country to launch a telecommunications satellite into space in 1998 – launched in 2007 its first remote-sensing satellite EgyptSat 1 that was manufactured in cooperation between Egypt’s National Authority for Remote Sensing and Space Sciences and Ukraine’s Yuzhnoye State Design Office.

Egypt’s second remote-sensing satellite EgyptSat 2 was launched in April 2014, but was lost in space in February 2015. Four years later, Egypt replaced it with EgyptSat A after launching it from the Russian Baikonur Cosmodrome, a spaceport in Kazakhstan leased to Russia.

Egypt – which became the first Arab country to launch a telecommunications satellite into space in 1998 – launched in 2007 its first remote-sensing satellite “EgyptSat 1” that was manufactured in cooperation between Egypt’s National Authority for Remote Sensing and Space Sciences (NARSS) and Ukraine’s Yuzhnoye State Design Office.

Egypt’s second remote-sensing satellite EgyptSat2 was launched in April 2014, but was lost in space in February 2015. Four years later, Egypt replaced it with EgyptSat A after launching it from the Russian Baikonur Cosmodrome, a spaceport in Kazakhstan leased to Russia.