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Online Reporter
Following Zimbabwe’s successful launch of its second earth observation satellite, ZimSat-2, into orbit today from Vostochny Cosmodrome in Amu Oblast, Russia, it is critical to analyse the role the satellite will play.
This launch follows the first satellite, ZimSat-1, that was launched on November 7, 2022 onto the International Space Station.
ZimSat-1 was launched at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility on Virginia, United States, as part of the BIRDS-5 constellation.
The Zimbabwe National Geospatial and Space Agency (ZINGSA) confirmed that ZimSat-1 is fully operational, with downlink and uplink functions stabilised.
The ZimSat-2 project is the result of a joint research collaboration between the Zimbabwe National Geo-Spatial and Space Agency (ZINGSA) and Southwest State University (SWSU) in Kursk, Russia.
All these developments follow President Mnangagwa’s establishment of ZINGSA in 2018 to enhance agricultural exploration, wildlife conservation, disease surveillance, and infrastructure mapping.
With a planned operational lifespan of five years, the satellite will provide essential data to support Zimbabwe’s climate analysis and agricultural planning.
This information is especially critical for Zimbabwe, a country that has faced severe droughts and food insecurity due to shifting rainfall patterns linked to the El Niño phenomenon.
ZimSat-2 will also play an essential role in mineral exploration, a vital sector for Zimbabwe’s economy.
The country’s mining industry is highly diversified, boasting nearly 40 different minerals, including significant deposits of platinum group metals (PGMs), chrome, gold, coal, lithium, and diamonds.
Zimbabwe holds the world’s second-largest platinum deposits and high-grade chromium ores, with an estimated 2.8 billion tons of PGM and 10 billion tons of chromium ore.
(Additional reporting by: Global South World)
Online Reporter