A South African-made microsatellite, EOS SAT-1, blasted off from SpaceX’s launch site in Cape Canaveral, Florida, on 3 January. The satellite was manufactured by Stellenbosch-based company, Dragonfly Aerospace, founded in 2019.

The satellite was created to provide data to the agriculture and forestry industry that will aid with sustainable agricultural practices and possibly help reduce carbon dioxide emissions, according to Artiom Anisimov, CEO of EOS Data Analytics.

“The satellite is manufactured for imaging cultivated lands and forest areas, analysing generated data for learning about plant development and soil condition, and correlating these insights with meteorological and crop/forest management data,” said Anisimov.

First since 2009

South Africa’s history with satellites dates back to the 1990s with the launch of the Stellenbosch University Satellite, or SunSat-1, which was sent into space in 1999, says Martin Viljoen of Stellenbosch University. 

EOS SAT-1 is the first microsatellite manufactured in South Africa since 2009, said Bryan Dean, CEO and co-founder of Dragonfly Aerospace.

EOS SAT-1 is the first in a seven-satellite series — otherwise known as a constellation — called EOS SAT, according to Anisimov. The other six satellites in the constellation will be launched over the next three years. EOS SAT-1 will capture images in low Earth orbit.

“EOS SAT-1 is about to make history by becoming the first instalment in the world’s first [agriculture-focused] constellation launched by a company utilising remote sensing tech,” said Anisimov.

Showcasing engineering capability

“The design, development, integration and acceptance testing of the EOS SAT-1 satellite were conducted over a period of three years in our Stellenbosch facilities,” said Schalk Olivier, general manager of Dragonfly Aerospace.

The EOS SAT-1 showcases the aerospace engineering capability in South Africa, said Olivier.

“The launch will further the development of the South African space industry, which is an export industry that is potentially worth billions of rands per year,” he said.

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The launch will add credibility to the SA space industry, which will lead to more customers and stimulate its development, Olivier added.

Growth in the space industry means SA will be relied on more for components and services, according to Olivier.

The Public Private Growth Initiative (PPGI) helped facilitate Dragonfly Aerospace’s interaction with the South African government, said Roelf Meyer, co-founder of PPGI and former minister of constitutional affairs.

PPGI helped ensure that the launch licence was issued in time for the satellite’s official take-off.

Meyer considers the launch a major achievement for South Africa: “It’s something that we can claim for the country.” DM