Botswana Announces Plans to Launch Its Second Earth Observation Satellite, BOTSAT-2
Botswana’s Minister of Communications and Innovation, David Tshere, has announced the country’s intention to launch a new Earth observation satellite, BOTSAT-2, marking the next phase in Botswana’s growing space ambitions. Addressing Parliament on Tuesday, Minister Tshere noted that the commercialisation of BOTSAT-1 data will play a pivotal role in supporting funding for the upcoming mission. Furthermore, this will be supported by the recent and ongoing upgrades to the BOTSAT-1 ground station at the Botswana International University of Science and Technology (BIUST), which serves as the central hub for data reception and processing.
The Minister further explained that these efforts are also expected to stimulate both upstream and downstream entrepreneurship opportunities within Botswana’s evolving space ecosystem.
“For Botswana’s satellite developments, the plan is to launch BOTSAT-2 to augment the achievements made under BOTSAT-1,”
David Tshere, Botswana Minister of Communications and Innovation
He added that engagements with international partners have already commenced, as Botswana continues to explore avenues for collaboration and cooperation with other satellite operators. Additionally, the Minister further underscored the government’s commitment to leveraging technological innovation as a catalyst for job creation and wealth generation, positioning the national space programme as an enabler of broader economic diversification.
Furthermore, the BOTSAT project team is already developing the BOTSAT-2 specifications, with comprehensive details and mission objectives expected to be announced upon completion of the planning phase. In an earlier exclusive interview with Space in Africa, BOTSAT Project Lead, Dr Dimane Mpoeleng, emphasised the pivotal role of BIUST’s forthcoming satellite cleanroom facility, which will support the assembly and integration of the BOTSAT-2 mission.
Launched in March 2024, Botswana’s first national satellite, BOTSAT-1, has become a vital tool for environmental monitoring, precision agriculture, urban planning, and disaster management. Additionally, the planned launch of BOTSAT-2 builds upon these achievements, reinforcing Botswana’s intent to strengthen its domestic space capabilities and enhance its contribution to the African Earth observation landscape.