ANGOAVIAÇÃO

Unlike Angosat-2, ANGEO-1 is an earth observation satellite and its application should contribute to the development of infrastructures, mapping of natural resources, maritime surveillance, including fishing, agriculture, population census, among others. The practical application of services ranges from solutions for estimating agricultural productivity to monitoring deforestation, construction works, detection of oil spills or ships.

The first step towards the construction of ANGEO-1 was taken on Friday, in Luanda, with the signing of the contract between the Ministry of Telecommunications, Information Technologies and Social Communication (MINTTICS) and Airbus Defense and Space.

With the construction and commissioning of ANGEO-1, it will be possible to take more than a thousand high resolution images per day with extreme acquisition capacity for local, national and regional coverage, being highly efficient for the main Angolan applications.As with Angosat-2, the construction and placement of a satellite in orbit brings immense benefits to the country.

In addition to being free of dependency, the country can sell services and raise foreign exchange. Before the entry into operation of Angosat-2, the country had monthly expenses between 15 and 30 million dollars a month with the lease of bandwidth to foreign satellite companies.

Under the coordination of the Minister of Telecommunications, Information Technologies and Social Communication, Mário Oliveira, Angola has developed several applications in the space domain using satellite images from Airbus Defense and Space France.

In December last year, the TECHGest, TECH-Agro and TECH-Ecology applications were launched, which make use of optical satellite resources, radar and drones, capable of providing the national market with the best and most modern technological solutions combined with scientific knowledge. and the specific experience of partners.

Powerful Equipment

Earth observation (EO) satellite or Earth remote sensing satellite is designed and built to observe and monitor the weather and climate, changes in Earth’s vegetation and sea surface, and map terrain using optical or satellite-based technology. on radar.

Once serving as a powerful tool for scientific research or defense, this observation data is now being widely used in precision agriculture, natural disaster warning, energy and infrastructure, forestry and land use, mapping and GIS (information systems). geographical areas) as well as sustainability.

Based on requirements, some commercially available satellite data can now be ordered online as a customized consumer product.

Take advantage of technologiesAs part of the National Space Strategy, the Angolan Government took the initiative to develop the Earth Observation satellite, ANGEO-1.

The objective is to continue to take advantage of the benefits of space technologies for the social and economic development of Angola.A state-of-the-art satellite, ANGEO-1 builds on more than 30 years of Airbus Defense and Space experience in building highly reliable, high-performance space systems.

Once in operation, it will become a very advanced satellite capable of positioning Angola as a leading space power in the region.

ANGEO-1 is being designed to further promote the country’s development in many different sectors. Improving the lives of citizens, building capacities, diversifying the economy and guaranteeing benefits to very diverse sectors are some of the advantages, in addition to contributing to Angola continuing to develop tools to support decision-making based on space, increasing efficiency in various sectors , in the civil, public and security domains.

ANGEO-1 services can thus help in a better understanding of the origins and impacts of climate change on the economy, for example, monitoring drought, rising sea levels, water resources and reducing the loss of assets with more effective actions of disaster preparedness and response.

Staff Training

As part of the contract, at least 15 Angolan specialists will be trained to operate the ANGEO-1 and, in the academic domain, training will also be continued at master-doctor and post-doctoral degrees in the space area. The action continues the program of building, reinforcing and expanding internal skills through knowledge transfer programs and targeted training. The aim is also to inspire and motivate new generations towards a career in science, technology and other fields related to space.

In Toulouse, France, for example, at one of the world’s leading institutes in space technologies, ISAE-SUPAERO, 11 Angolan engineers were trained to master’s level in areas such as space applications using satellite images, space systems engineering and project management .

Leadership in the Region

Leader of the technical team studying the operationalization of a Satellite Sharing System for Southern Africa, Angola is responsible for the SADC countries with the International Telecommunication Union in space matters.

To this end, a project management office was created in Luanda, which aims to standardize processes related to the SADC Satellite Sharing Program and facilitate the sharing of resources, methodologies and tools.

The focus of the work is to define and maintain the standards for management of contracts within the SADC Satellite Sharing Program, such as identification and analysis of orbital resources, interference analysis and technical assistance in frequency coordination.

The project management office will develop documentation to guide the action plan and develop metrics on management practice and execution. Therefore, it will monitor and report, at the highest level, the progress of different SADC project actions, in order to promote strategic decision-making.

The team created is made up of members of the SADC Committee of Experts, including directors and technicians from the National Space Program Management Office, INFRASAT and INACOM. Since October 12, 2022, Angola operates ANGOSAT-2 – a telecommunications satellite that provides telephony, internet, radio and television services. A good part of the capacity of the C-band satellite has already been sold to national companies and other countries.

Lucrative Market

The African space economy employs more than 19,000 people and is valued at US$19.49 billion in 2021. By 2026, it should grow by 16.16 percent to 22.64 billion. However, only 30 percent of residents in sub-Saharan Africa are connected to the Internet.