Zimbabwe has taken another significant step in space exploration with the launch of its second satellite, ZIMSAT-2. This mission follows the November 2022 deployment of Zimbabwe’s inaugural satellite, ZIMSAT-1. Spearheaded by the Zimbabwe National Geo-Spatial and Space Agency (ZINGSA) in collaboration with Southwest State University (SWSU) in Kursk, Russia, ZIMSAT-2’s successful launch underscores Zimbabwe’s dedication to building a robust space programme to support its national interests.

This launch was managed by GK Launch Services as part of a commercial rideshare mission, lifting off from the Vostochny Cosmodrome in Russia’s Amur Oblast. The Soyuz 2.1b/Fregat-M rocket, carrying two Ionosfera-M heliogeophysical spacecraft and 53 small satellites from multiple countries, departed from Site 1S at 2:18 MSK (Moscow Standard Time) / 8:18 YAKT (Yakutsk Time) after rigorous pre-launch tests conducted in the second quarter of 2024.

Furthermore, the Zimbabwean Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology Development, Dr F Shava, announced that the ZIMSAT-2 satellite has been successfully launched into orbit. Initial telemetry data confirms that all the satellite’s subsystems are functioning optimally.

ZIMSAT-2 marks a collaborative engineering feat. ZINGSA engineers, alongside Zimbabwean students at SWSU, designed and built the satellite, emphasising local expertise and hands-on experience in satellite technology. This growing expertise contributes to the national capacity to address critical development needs through satellite technology and remote sensing.

Zimbabwe, Dandaro, satellite