China launches MisrSat-2 satellite jointly-developed with Egypt

China successfully sent a satellite jointly developed with Egypt into space on Monday, marking a success in China-Egypt cooperation.

The MisrSat-2 satellite was launched atop a Long March-2C carrier rocket at 12:10 p.m. Beijing Time from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China, and has entered the preset orbit.

The optical remote sensing satellite boasts a 2-meter panchromatic and an 8-meter multispectral resolution. 

Assembled and tested earlier this year at the China-funded Satellite Assembly, Integration, and Test Center (AITC) in Cairo, it will undergo three months of orbital testing before its operation is handed over to the Egyptian Space Agency. 

The satellite will play a crucial role in various fields, including farming, national resources, urban planning, and coastal change monitoring.

Throughout the joint development, China provided training programs covering the entire satellite design, assembly and testing for the Egyptian staff. 

The Egyptian technical staff actively participated in the entire process. This collaboration has significantly enhanced Egypt's capabilities in satellite research, development, measurement, and control, positioning the country as a leading force in aerospace in Africa.

Two more satellites on the same trip

Together with the MisrSat-2, two remote sensing satellites developed by Chinese startup EllipSpace were also launched by the same rocket.

The two satellites – Starpool 02-A and 02-B entered predetermined orbit, and a stable measurement and control connection were established between the satellites and the ground. The satellite array was deployed normally, and the launch mission was declared a complete success.

They will be mainly used to provide wide-area comprehensive perception services, laying a solid foundation for the construction of the "StarPool Plan" integrated communication, navigation and remote sensing system.