SSGI Unveils LASAC Project and Launches its System Engineering Book

Conference Banner

The Ethiopian Space Science and Geospatial Institute (SSGI) hosted the launch of a system engineering book and unveiled the Land Satellite Remote Sensing Application Center (LASAC) project in Addis Ababa. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Dr Mesfin Melaku, the institute’s executive researcher specialising in aerospace engineering and satellite communication, attended the occasion, among other notable officials.

The inauguration of the system engineering book symbolised a significant achievement and highlighted the preparation of researchers possessing extensive experience and profound knowledge in the field. At the launch, Abdisa Yilma, SSGI’s Director General, and Dr Mesfin Melaku, the chief scientist at NASA, emphasised the book’s importance in enabling problem-solving approaches and cost-effective methodologies.

Furthermore, Abdisa Yilma commented that the Earth Observation Satellite Application Center (LASAC) is powered by a 2-metre resolution satellite that covers the entire surface of Ethiopia, producing data worth USD 2.88 million annually.

According to him, in 2021, at the 8th China-Africa Cooperation Ministerial Conference, the Chinese government committed to enhancing digital economic cooperation between Africa and China. As part of this pledge, they vowed to support the accessibility of the Land Satellite Remote Sensing Application Center (LASAC) service for African countries. Following this, on 2 December 2022, a five-year Memorandum of Understanding was signed to establish the Earth Observation Satellites Application Center Service. This initiative was coordinated by the Embassy of China, solidifying the cooperation between the two entities and marking an important step towards strengthening technological cooperation in the Earth observation segment.