Ahmed Kamel – Egypt Daily News
The Egyptian Space Agency has announced the successful launch and operation of Egypt’s SPNEX satellite, marking a significant milestone in the country’s growing space capabilities. The satellite was launched on Wednesday, December 10, 2025, entered its designated orbit as planned, and has begun transmitting its first signals, confirming the success of the mission.
The launch of SPNEX comes as part of Egypt’s broader program to develop nano-satellites and reflects the progress achieved by the country in space science and technology. The mission underscores the ability of Egyptian expertise to deliver fully integrated space systems, covering all stages from design and manufacturing to assembly, integration, testing, and in-orbit operation.
SPNEX functions as a scientific laboratory in space and was developed through cooperation between the Egyptian Space Agency and the Academy of Scientific Research and Technology. The satellite is dedicated to measuring plasma properties in the ionosphere, contributing to scientific research on the effects of solar and geomagnetic storms. Its data will support the development of more accurate ionospheric models and enhance climate and space weather research.
Development of the satellite was carried out entirely within the laboratories of the Egyptian Space Agency, beginning in the first quarter of 2022. All assembly, integration, and testing processes were completed at the agency’s Assembly, Integration, and Testing Center at the Egyptian Space City.
On December 12, 2025, the ground control and reception station designed and implemented by Egyptian engineers, successfully received telemetry signals from SPNEX. These signals confirmed the satellite’s stability in orbit, the high efficiency of its onboard systems, and a battery charge level of approximately 90 percent after proper orientation toward the sun.
SPNEX was launched from the Rongfeng Space Launch Site in northwest China. The agency emphasized that the design and development of the satellite’s systems, its onboard software, and the ground control station were all carried out entirely by national technical teams.
In the coming period, data collected by SPNEX will be made available to researchers at Egyptian universities and research centers, reinforcing support for scientific research and practical applications of space technology in Egypt.
