Five years after losing its first satellite, Angola announces the coming launch of Angosat-2, its second satellite delivered last July 26. 

Angola will launch its second satellite, Angosat-2, built by Russia next Wednesday, October 12. The planned launch was announced, on October 4, by  Mário Augusto da Silva Oliveira, the Angolan Minister of Telecommunications, Information Technology, and Social Communication (MINTTICS).

The satellite will be launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, through the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos). It is the result of the complementary protocol to the contract signed by Russia and Angola, providing for the construction of a replacement satellite in case of failure of the first Angosat-1 satellite, worth US$327.6 million.

According to the director general of Angola's National Space Program Management Office (GGPEN), Zolana João, Angosat-2 will be seven times faster than its predecessor Angosat-1, which was lost hours after its launch in 2017.

With a high data rate (HTS), providing 13 gigabytes in each illuminated region (satellite signal coverage range), the new satellite will cover the whole national territory and provide telecommunications services (telephony, Internet, telemedicine, broadcasting, and radio). It will cover the entire African continent, in particular Southern Africa, and will be based on the Eurostar-3000 platform with a 15-year design lifetime. 

The launch of Angosat-2 is part of the 2016-2025 national space strategy that will contribute to unifying and developing Africa."We want to have a strong national space industry that serves the interests of our economy and brings benefits, not only for Angola but as a way to create synergies in our region while fostering the establishment of a united Africa," Minister Mário Augusto said.

Samira Njoya