Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research Khaled Abdel Ghaffar is set to establish the Satellite City Industrialization and Assembly Center sometime this year in cooperation with China, the minster announced on February 16 – the Egyptian Space Day.
He further announced carrying out cooperation protocols with various countries in space-related fields, such as the French Space Agency.
Also on the Egyptian Space Day, organized by the Egyptian Space Agency in partnership with the Arab Science and Technology Foundation, Abdel Ghaffar noted the most important partnerships in space sciences with countries such as France, Kazakhstan, Italy, China, the US and referred to agreements signed during the TICAD Seven summit in Japan.
Space related fields depend not just on the manufacturing and launching of satellites, the minister said, but also extend to scientific research in space medicine and other fields.
The Egyptian Space Agency’s CEO Mohamed al-Qousy unveiled future protocols with Egyptian universities and the agency’s training programs.
The agency anticipates setting a schedule over the next decade to help meet Egypt’s ambitions in the space field, he said, which go beyond launching satellites.
Egypt desires to explore outer space through sending its own spaceship, and conduct research on space medicine and waste, he explained.
The Egyptian Space Agency was established in 2018 to coordinate the efforts of various scientific bodies concerned with studying outer space and satellite technology, promoting Egypt’s development and protecting its national security.
Qousy said that agency supports the efforts of Egyptian universities in setting up laboratories for space science.
Egypt’s Space Day saw the participation of ministers, ambassadors from involved countries and senior officials. A platform was launched to organize programs and activities in science, and promote promote dialogue between foreign researchers and scientists in Egypt, the wider Arab world, and Africa.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
