EgyptSat-A satellite, which was launched Thursday from the Baikonur spaceport in Kazakhstan, supports the aims of scientific research, remote sensing and Egypt’s various sustainable development fields, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research Khaled Abdel Ghaffar has said. 

In press statements, Abdel Ghaffar said that EgyptSat-A weighs 1,150 kilograms and has a speed of 22 kilometres per second.

The minister pointed to the satellite’s importance in the fields of agriculture, mining, urban planning and environment as well as in detecting natural hazards, such as desertification and floods, among others. 

He added that EgyptSat-A will help follow up national mega-projects, such as the New Administrative Capital, El-Galala Mountain and New Alamein City.

The new satellite will also contribute to supporting Egypt’s role at the Arab and African levels in the fields of scientific research and development projects, he noted.