Ethiopia has announced its intention to launch the first satellite in 2019. According to the ESSTI Institute at the University of Addis Ababa, the satellite is expected to be launched from China in September 2019.
He revealed preliminary plans for the launch of the satellite in 2016, and that year the Ethiopian cabinet approved the establishment of the Institute of Space Science and Technology of Ethiopia.
Institute Director-General Solomon Pillay Tesema said the launch would be from China, while the command and control station would be in Ethiopia.
By adhering to the Institute's slogan "We are exploring the universe for the benefit of our people," Ethiopia intends to use the launch of the satellite to improve its weather monitoring capabilities.
The design and development of the satellite will cost about $ 8 million, and China will pay $ 6 million of that cost. He did not disclose the terms of cooperation between Ethiopia and China regarding the launch of the satellite.