SA-manufactured microsatellite heads to US for December launch
October 2022
News
EOS SAT-1, the first imaging satellite to be built by Dragonfly Aerospace, will soon leave the 3000 m2 Dragonfly Aerospace design and manufacturing facility in Stellenbosch, South Africa, as it heads to SpaceX’s launch site in Cape Canaveral, Florida, USA for pre-launch testing, ahead of the Transporter-6 mission scheduled to launch in December.
EOS SAT-1 will form the first of a seven-satellite constellation in low Earth orbit for the customer EOSDA (EOS Data Analytics). The remaining six satellites of the constellation will be deployed over the next three years. It will also be the world’s first agriculture-focused satellite constellation, providing the agriculture and forestry industry with high-quality data to support efficient and sustainable practices.
Images obtained from Dragonfly’s EOS SAT-1 will deliver valuable information for harvest monitoring, application mapping, seasonal planning, and assessments that analyse information such as soil moisture, yield prediction and biomass levels. This data will support growers in reducing carbon dioxide emissions and help them to develop sustainable agricultural methods without financial losses. Such information will have important environmental benefits for the planet and help prevent natural habitats from being diminished for crop growth.
Equipped with two DragonEye electro-optical imagers, EOS SAT-1 will provide 44 km swath panchromatic and multispectral imagery across 11 spectral bands at close to 1 m resolution, making it one of the most powerful satellites in low Earth orbit. Bryan Dean, CEO and co-founder of Dragonfly Aerospace, said, “This is a key moment for Dragonfly Aerospace and we are thrilled to be delivering EOS SAT-1 with a number of firsts: the first imaging satellite designed and built by Dragonfly, the first to be manufactured in South Africa since 2009, the first satellite of the EOS SAT constellation, and the first agri-focused constellation in space.
“This has been an important project for our whole team and has allowed us to demonstrate our capabilities, not just in producing high-performance electro-optical imagers, but in designing and manufacturing a full imaging satellite system. It’s an amazing feeling to see EOS SAT-1 leave our premises and take the next step in its journey to delivering crucial data that will have important environmental benefits for our planet. We look forward to supporting EOSDA with its mission to launch the next six satellites by 2025.”
Further reading:
Powering Africa’s industrial Leap at the 2026 Manufacturing Indaba
News
The 2026 Manufacturing Indaba is set to bring together stakeholders to explore how reliable energy can unlock Africa’s industrial future
Read more...
Siemens andDucati extend partnership to advance innovation in MotoGP
News
Siemens Digital Industries Software has renewed its technical partnership agreement with Ducati, and detailed how the Siemens Xcelerator platform has been instrumental in helping the company to create increasingly powerful, safe and sustainable motorcycles.
Read more...
Your chance to make a difference by supporting UKZN’s SMART Lab research
News
UKZN’s SMART Lab is at the forefront of tackling international challenges through innovative, multidisciplinary solutions, and focuses on research that makes a tangible difference to society. Companies affiliated with the SAIMC now have an opportunity to make a meaningful impact through sponsorships.
Read more...
Hitachi Energy named world’s leading supplier of grid automation products and services
News
Hitachi Energy has been recognised as the global market share leader in grid automation for electric power transmission and distribution utilities by ARC Advisory Group.
Read more...
Latest evolution in DesignSpark PCB design software
RS South Africa
News
RS South Africa has announced the local availability of DesignSpark PCB version 13, the latest evolution of its award-winning PCB design software.
Read more...
SKF earns top CDP ratings, reinforcing climate leadership
SKF South Africa
News
SKF has been awarded an A score in the 2024 CDP Supplier Engagement Assessment, placing the company among the global leaders in supplier climate action and transparency.
Read more...
South African project to tackle e-waste
News
Every year millions of electrical and electronic devices and appliances are thrown away. This e-waste can become a threat to both health and the environment if they are not disposed of and recycled properly. Limpopo recently launched its E-Waste for Youth Employment in Limpopo Province project in order to change this narrative.
Read more...
Hans Beckhoff receives German Mechanical Engineering Award
Beckhoff Automation
News
Hans Beckhoff has received the 2025 German Mechanical Engineering Award. This prestigious award honours entrepreneurs who have set standards in machine and system engineering, driven innovation, and taken on social responsibility.
Read more...
Safe solar light for 150 000 people across Africa
RS South Africa
News
RS Group has announced a partnership with international development charity, SolarAid to deliver clean, safe solar lights to 150 000 people living in rural communities across Africa without access to electricity.
Read more...
Regalvanising is a cornerstone of the circular economy
News
Steel can be regalvanised three to four times, effectively doubling the lifespan of key infrastructure for 30% of the replacement cost. That is why the Hot Dip Galvanisers Association of South Africa sees regalvanising as a cornerstone of the circular economy.
Read more...
printer friendly version