Botswana, a Southern African country is launching its mission to space with the recent announcement of the BotSat-1 in partnership with Bulgarian small satellite company EnduroSat.
The mission, according to EnduroSat, will feature a hyperspectral camera payload and strengthen a partnership for space education
In its release, the Botswana International University of Science and Technology (BIUST) and EnduroSat are building together the country’s first satellite, BOTSAT-1. The satellite will launch on SpaceX’s Transporter-13 mission no earlier than February 2025, according to EnduroSat.
BOTSAT-1 will directly benefit local agriculture and mining industries by using the onboard hyperspectral camera payload to provide key intelligence on the contents of grounds and soils. With this new space data, BIUST will be able to empower decision makers with the information for long term planning and investments.
The Botswana International University of Science & Technology (BIUST) recently commissioned the first Botswana Satellite Ground Station (BOTSAT-1). The event which was officially commissioned by His Excellency Dr. Mokgweetsi E.K. Masisi attracted captains of industries to witness the historic event in BIUST campus on the 29th November 2022.
True to EnduroSat’s commitment to democratizing space, this mission is designed to generate hands-on technical and mission operations experience in Botswana. Consequently, BIUST engineers will join the EnduroSat team in Sofia to complete the satellite’s assembly and payload integration. Furthermore, BIUST will take full advantage of the satellite’s software-flexible architecture via the SpaceOps software.
‘’EnduroSat has been an exceptional partner in our journey to launch Botswana’s first satellite. Their expertise and support have been invaluable, and we are excited about the progress we have made together. This partnership brings us closer to realizing our shared vision and underscores the strength of our mutual commitment to advancing space technology in Botswana,’’ says Professor Otlogetswe Totolo, Vice Chancellor of the Botswana International University of Science & Technology (BIUST)
‘’BIUST has an enormous potential for growth, and I am proud that they have chosen to partner with EnduroSat in this journey. Their team is incredibly dedicated and focused on making a positive impact. The fact that their organization has a long-term strategic growth vision, and that they are following it strictly, will enable them to build a formidable space program,’’ Raycho Raychev, Founder and CEO, EnduroSat