Tanzania is preparing to create its own satellite, according to President Samia Suluhu Hassan, and talks to reach the scientific milestone have already started.
The President did not, however, disclose the engineering team that will be building the satellite or the location of its hosting while speaking at the launch of digital terrestrial television (DTT) by Azam Media.
Tanzania would join Kenya and Uganda in developing and launching satellites into orbit if the idea were to come to fruition.
On Saturday, a SpaceX rocket launched from the United States carrying Kenya’s first operational earth observation satellite, according to a live stream from Elon Musk’s rocket firm.
The satellite, created by nine Kenyan engineers, will gather information on agriculture and the environment, including information on floods, droughts, and wildfires, which will be used by the government to manage disasters and fight food shortages.
On the other hand, Uganda launched its first satellite into orbit on December 8, 2022, after it was built by three Ugandan and Japanese engineers as part of a global satellite design initiative.
Algeria, Ethiopia, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Morocco, Egypt, Ghana, and Nigeria are among African nations that currently have satellites in orbit; Rwanda is scheduled to launch at the end of the year.