Morocco’s second Earth observation satellite, named “Mohammed VI-B,” will launch from the Vega Launch Complex in Kourou, French Guyana on Tuesday, November 20 at 1:42 a.m. Moroccan time, announced French space-launch systems company Arianespace.
According to the agency, the countdown has started and the launcher of Morocco’s first reconnaissance satellite is ready for takeoff.
In 2013, Morocco signed a EUR 500 million agreement with France for the purchase and launch of two French-built satellites made by the French Airbus Defense & Space and the Franco-Italian Thales Alenia Space.
“The launch, from takeoff to separation from the satellite, will last a little over 55 minutes,” said the company.
The Moroccan satellite will be dedicated to Earth observation and will be able to map and take high-resolution images in any weather, night and day.
According to the company, the images collected by the satellite will help Morocco polish its green policies, in line with kingdom’s repeated affirmations that is committed to environmental protection.
The Mohammed VI-B satellite’s official mission is to help with “mapping and land surveying activities, regional development, agricultural monitoring, the prevention and management of natural disasters, monitoring changes in the environment and desertification, as well as border and coastal surveillance,”.
The spacecraft will also help in “land management, through effective control of housing and buildings, as well as tighter monitoring of slum eradication.”
The Moroccan Ministry of Defense will be in charge of controlling the device in a base near Salé’s airport.