Engineering:PearlAfricaSat-1
| Mission type | Earth observation |
|---|---|
| Operator | Government of Uganda |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Manufacturer | Kyushu Institute of Technology |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | 7 November 2022 |
| Rocket | Antares (NG-18) |
| Launch site | Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport |
| Deployed from | ISS |
| Deployment date | 2 December 2022 |
| End of mission | |
| Decay date | 2023 |
| Orbital parameters | |
| Reference system | Geocentric orbit |
| Regime | Low Earth orbit |
PearlAfricaSat-1 was a 1U CubeSat associated with Uganda's first satellite mission and developed through a collaboration involving the Kyushu Institute of Technology in Japan.[1][2] It launched on 7 November 2022 aboard the NG-18 Cygnus cargo mission to the International Space Station (ISS) and was deployed into orbit from the ISS on 2 December 2022.[3][4]
According to news reports, the satellite formed part of Uganda's efforts to develop domestic capacity in space engineering and to use Earth-observation data for applications such as agriculture, environmental monitoring, and disaster planning.[5][6]
Tracking databases list PearlAfricaSat-1 as having reentered (decayed from orbit) in 2023.[7][8]
Background and development
PearlAfricaSat-1 was developed through the Joint Global Multi-Nation Birds Project (BIRDS),[9] with Ugandan engineers receiving training and hands-on development experience at Kyushu Institute of Technology.[10][5]
Launch and deployment
The satellite launched on 7 November 2022 from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport in Virginia aboard Northrop Grumman’s NG-18 Cygnus resupply mission to the ISS.[6][3]
Ugandan officials later announced that PearlAfricaSat-1 was deployed into orbit from the ISS on 2 December 2022 and that the country had established communications with the spacecraft.[3][4]
Mission
PearlAfricaSat-1 was described by media reports as an Earth-observation CubeSat intended to support applications such as monitoring land and environmental conditions relevant to agriculture and resource management.[5][4][6]
The satellite carried a multispectral imaging capability intended to help assess land and water conditions.[5][7][8]
References
- ↑ "Uganda's Race to Space" (in en-US). 2025-08-05. https://www.independent.co.ug/ugandas-race-to-space/.
- ↑ "Uganda to launch its first satellite in 2022" (in en-US). 2021-12-09. https://satelliteprome.com/news/uganda-to-launch-its-first-satellite-in-2022/.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 "Uganda says its debut satellite launched into orbit". Reuters. 2 December 2022. https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/science/uganda-says-its-debut-satellite-launched-into-orbit-2022-12-02/.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 "Uganda: Debut Satellite Launched". Voice of America. 2 December 2022. https://www.voaafrica.com/a/uganda-debut-satellite-launched/6859669.html.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 "The first satellites launched by Uganda and Zimbabwe aim to improve life on the ground". Texas Public Radio (TPR). 20 November 2022. https://www.tpr.org/2022-11-20/the-first-satellites-launched-by-uganda-and-zimbabwe-aim-to-improve-life-on-the-ground.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 "Uganda launches first satellite into space". The EastAfrican. 8 November 2022. https://www.theeastafrican.co.ke/tea/news/east-africa/uganda-launches-first-satellite-into-space-4012454.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 "PearlAfricaSat-1 Spacecraft". https://www.nanosats.eu/sat/pearlafricasat-1.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 "PEARLAFRICASAT-1 (mission timeline)". https://db.satnogs.org/satellite/DXUB-5665-3673-3072-0267/.
- ↑ Katusiime, Ian (2025-08-05). "Uganda's Race to Space" (in en). The Independent. https://allafrica.com/stories/202508050137.html.
- ↑ "Faces behind Uganda's first satellite technology". Daily Monitor. 11 May 2022. https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/faces-behind-uganda-s-first-satellite-technology-3811738.
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