China-Egypt Cooperation for Egyptian Space City Project Formally Initiated

On May 15, 2018, the China National Space Administration (CNSA) and Egypt National Authority of Remote Sensing and Space Sciences (NARSSS) signed a MOU for the cooperation to establish the Egyptian Space City between CNSA and NARSSS within the Arab Republic of Egypt at Cairo, formally initiating the cooperation on the Egyptian Space City Project.

According to the MOU, China and Egypt will cooperate on the overall planning, system design, project construction and operational management of the Egyptian Space City. The Beijing Institute of Spacecraft Environment Engineering(BISEE) under the China Academy of Space Technology (CAST) will perform the relevant duties on behalf of Chinese leading technical organizations.

The Egyptian Space City will be located in New Cairo, covering an area of about 0.498 km2. At present, the Egyptian Satellite Ground Station has been built at the Space City and the small satellite AIT Center (600 kg satellite) Program developed by China will be delivered in 2019.

It is planned to build more than 20 facilities such as the new space agency office building, Navigation and Communications Satellite AIT, Space System Design and Development Center, Satellite AIT Operational Management Center, Academy of Space Research and Science, training and exhibition center, plus other facilities in the Space City according to the Egyptian Space Development Plan.

BISEE initiated the demonstration of the Egyptian Space City Project in March 2017 entrusted by the Egyptian party, and will cooperate closely with the Egyptian team to promote the planning and construction of the Egyptian Space City.

The initiation of the Egyptian Space City Project was a new progress in China-Egypt space cooperation after the Egypt Small Satellite AIT Center.