Ethiopia has announced its intention to launch its first satellite in 2019. According to the Ethiopian Institute of Space Science and Technology (ESSTI) at the University of Addis Ababa, the satellite is expected to be launched in China in September of 2019.
According to Dr. Solomon Belay Tessem(Director General of ESSTI), the initial plans for launching the satellite were announced at 2016, at the same time as the Ethiopian Council of Ministers approved the establishment of the ESSTI. The satellite will be launched from China, while the control and command station will be in Ethiopia.
So far, it has only been revealed that the project and the development of the satellite will cost a total of approximately 8 million USD, with China financing 6 millions of this cost. The terms of the cooperation between Ethiopia and China regarding the launch of the satellite have not been revealed so far, perhaps the terms will be revealed.
