Today Wednesday December 17(th) 2014, MENASAT entered into a Joint Venture Company with “Ghana Space Science And Technology Institute (GSSTI)” to develop a high resolution Earth Observation SAR satellite program aiming at the building a of Ghana`s first SAR high-resolution earth observation satellite to be launched by the year 2020.
The GHANA SAT 1 five year program will be implemented in three phases:
(1) Establishing a data center for the processing and analysis of Earth Observation SAR and optical satellite imagery,
(2) Building a Direct receiving ground station (Ground Segment)
(3) building and launching the GHANA SAT 1 satellite.
GHANA SAT 1 foot print is mainly in Africa and is expected to cost USD $250 Mio. It will be part of the MENASAT GULF SATELLITE Program, which consists of high-resolution earth observation Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) constellation in a low inclination orbit.
The JV company named “GHANA SAT LTD” will be active within the first quarter of 2015 and in full operation out of GSSTI allocated facilities with a joint team from MENASAT and GSSTI and is expected to generate revenues out of imagery sales and Value added service to various government and institution clients in Ghana and West Africa.
“MENASAT`s objective is to design, build and launch four SAR earth observation satellites dedicated for Africa within the coming five years. GHANA SAT1 is a very important Mile Stone”, says Hani Salem, company CEO and Chairman. “There is an increasing awareness by several governments in Africa about the importance of the Satellite technology and applications for the economic and social developments of their nations. We are here in just the right time”, adds Mr. Salem.
“During our first work shop and conference which was held in Accra and attended by key potential clients, I recognized the eagerness of participants to use the SAR satellite applications as tool to either improve or develop many sectors in the country, says Prof Riccardo
Maggiora, MENASAT chief technology officer and Board Director, “This project when completed will add a great value to our share holders and our partners in the republic of Ghana. The company is aiming to be a dominant player in Africa and Middle East as a supplier of High-resolution SAR satellites and Data provision .I am confident this will happen, Says Mr.Mervyn Clarke, Board Director and CFO.
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