Uganda to launch second satellite into space
Dr Cosmas Mwikirize, the superintendent of the Industrial Value Chains Development at STI, revealed that a team of engineers is currently undergoing training in Egypt in preparation for the launch.
Dr Monica Musenero, the Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, (STI) launches the National science week during a press conference at Deep Tech Centre in Namanve on 13th May 2025. (Photos by Juliet Kasirye)
By John Masaba
Journalists @New Vision
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The Government says it is planning to launch a second satellite into space. The Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) ministry says the satellite is expected to be launched either late this year or early next year.
Dr Cosmas Mwikirize, the superintendent of the Industrial Value Chains Development at STI, revealed that a team of engineers is currently undergoing training in Egypt in preparation for the launch.
“Our engineers, who have been training in Egypt, developed the onboard computer for the satellite, and we hope to launch it by the end of this year or early in 2026. We anticipate that this satellite will be used for various applications, including climate monitoring,” he said.
He emphasized the importance of developing competent ground assets, noting that without them, collecting data from the satellite would be challenging.
“We have started with limited capabilities, but we have not expanded them enough to connect directly to any satellite on earth, although we have various collaborations that allow us to do so,” he added.
This upcoming satellite will be Uganda's second, following the launch of PearlAfricaSat-1, which took place in November 2022.
Gonzaga Ntege, the Xunda tech Uganda Ltd director shows the locally manufactured 3D printers during a press conference at Deep Tech Centre in Namanve on May 13, 2025. 
PearlAfricaSat-1 was sent to the International Space Station by NASA on November 7, 2022, alongside Zimbabwe's ZimSat-1, enabling Uganda to monitor weather patterns, forecast disasters, map mineral resources, and generate other essential data.
Mwikirize noted that this initiative is also motivated by security concerns, as “Uganda is a security hotspot in the region.”
He emphasized the need for the country to enhance its border control and leverage other security applications provided by satellite technology in addition to those currently in use.
He mentioned that it is quite expensive to develop satellite capabilities independently, and that Uganda is collaborating with other African countries, including Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, and Sudan for a successful launch.
This satellite initiative is named the African Development Satellite and is being developed under the leadership of the Egyptian government.
Valuable lessons learned
Mwikirize remarked that Uganda has gained valuable lessons from its previous satellite launch.
“We developed a lot of capacity, and it brought pride to our nation knowing that our engineers successfully tested and launched a satellite,” he said.