DR Congo Orders Its First Satellite to Watch Over Its Own Land
The Democratic Republic of Congo has signed an agreement with Belgian firm Spacebel to build its first Earth‑observation satellite, RDC‑SAT. The 250‑kilogram satellite will carry a hyperspectral imager to monitor agriculture, mining, forestry, climate and disaster response, and will be operated by the country's National Remote Sensing Centre. Launch is planned within the next four to five years, with Congolese engineers receiving training to run the system.
- ▪The agreement was signed on June 16, 2026, between the DR Congo Ministry of Higher Education and Spacebel of Belgium.
- ▪RDC‑SAT will be the nation’s first national satellite, weighing 250 kilograms and equipped with a hyperspectral imager.
- ▪The satellite’s data will support sectors such as agriculture, mining, forestry, mapping, climate monitoring, and disaster response.
- ▪Operation of the satellite will be handled by the National Remote Sensing Centre with locally trained engineers.
- ▪Launch is expected within four to five years from the signing of the agreement.
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| Original publisher | The Rio Times |
| Canonical URL | https://www.riotimesonline.com/dr-congo-rdc-sat-earth-observation-satellite-2026/ |
| Publication time | Fri, 26 Jun 2026 07:23:22 +0000 |
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Central Africa Africa DR Congo Orders Its First Satellite to Watch Over Its Own Land By Samuel Ncube · June 26, 2026 · 5 min read Daily Brief The morning intel from across Latin America. Free. Subscribe By subscribing you agree to our privacy policy. We never share your email. DR CONGO · SCIENCE Key Facts —First national satellite: RDC-SAT will be the DR Congo’s first Earth-observation satellite, built by Belgium’s Spacebel. —Signed in Kinshasa: The agreement was concluded on June 16, 2026 with the Ministry of Higher Education, Universities, Scientific Research and Innovation. —What it carries: The 250-kilogram satellite will carry a hyperspectral imager that captures fine detail across the country.
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