Egypt, Kenya and Uganda to Launch AI-Powered Climate Camera to the ISS
On Wednesday, 8 April 2026, at 3:51 (EAT), the Climate Camera (ClimCam) Payload is scheduled to be launched to the International Space Station (ISS) aboard the Cygnus NG-42 Mission of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. The ClimCam Payload was developed through a successful collaboration among the Egyptian Space Agency, the Kenya Space Agency, and the Uganda National Space Programme. ClimCam will be flown on the ISS, hosted on the Airbus Bartolomeo platform (attached to the European Columbus Module) for the duration of its time in orbit.
The ClimCam Payload successfully underwent Assembly, Integration and Testing at EgSA facilities in Cairo, followed by end-to-end validation at Airbus facilities in Houston, Texas, ensuring full qualification for space operations. Additionally, the ClimCam Payload is designed to deliver AI-Powered, near-real-time weather and climate data to strengthen disaster management, natural resources management, and climate resilience in the Eastern African region.
The consortium of participating nations won the award to develop the payload following a successful submission in response to an Announcement of Opportunity (AO) for utilising the Airbus Bartolomeo external platform on the ISS to host a payload, which was issued by the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs in partnership with Airbus Defence and Space under the UNOOSA Access to Space for All Initiative.
Launch Details & How to Watch
- Launch Date: Wednesday, 8 April 2026.
- Time: 03:51 PM Kenya Time (EAT).
- Carrier: Cygnus NG-24 Mission bound for the ISS aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.
- Launch Facility: Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
- Live Stream Link: Cygnus NG-24 Launch Live Stream.