BST tests Egyptian experimental satellite
This Space News was published on Sat, 11.02.2023 – 10:16 CET, covering Berlin Space TechnologiesIn 2015, Berlin Space Technologies (BST) won the tender to support the National Agency for Remote Sensing and Space Science (NARSS) in the development and construction of the NExSat-1 satellite. By providing subsystems and services, BST is supporting Egypt on its way to becoming a space nation.
On 17 January 2018, NARSS became the Egyptian Space Agency (EgSA). The EgSA is headquartered in the Egyptian Space City, an area of approximately 123 hectares in Cairo. Work will begin in 2022 and the agency aims to be fully operational by 2026.
After Egyptian engineers built the Egypt-Sat1 satellite as part of a training programme, NExSat followed. The microsatellite, built in collaboration with Berlin Space Technologies, weighs 65 kg. It is equipped with two cameras for environmental monitoring with a resolution of 7.5 metres GSD in an orbit of 700 km. GSD (Ground Sampling Distance) is the distance measured on the ground between two consecutive pixel centres. The following applies: The lower the GSD, the higher the spatial resolution and the more detail that can be seen.
BST puts the NExSat satellite through its paces
NExSat is the first in a series of experimental satellites. Most of them will be manufactured and tested in Egyptian laboratories, but they will also come to Germany for further qualification. BST has been contracted to carry out the mechanical qualification tests. On arrival in Berlin, the satellite underwent a series of functional tests. This is to ensure that NExSat has survived the journey undamaged. This is followed by tests on a shaker, and finally another full functional test. Once all the tests have been completed, NExSat will return to Egypt and from there continue its journey to China. From there it will be launched into space in June 2023. An exact launch date is not yet known.
