CAIRO: Egypt’s new satellite, MisrSat-2, is scheduled to launch in December 2022, just three months behind schedule despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the CEO of the Egyptian Space Agency (EgSA) said on Thursday. Mohammed ElKoosy said the “first phase of the initial designs” had been completed and that the “engineering model” was currently being manufactured “with Chinese support.” The satellite was initially set to launch in September next year, but the timeline has been slightly altered because of the COVID-19 pandemic, he explained. The EgSA CEO also revealed that the satellite assembly center — located in Egyptian Space City near the New Administrative Capital — is close to completion. Egyptian Space City is due to open in March or April, he said. Once the center is complete, assembly of MisrSat-2 will begin almost immediately, he said. ElKoosy said Egypt’s ambitious plans for its space industry are in line with the country’s strategy for sustainable development. He cited the African Development Satellite — currently being manufactured by five African countries, with Egypt taking the lead — as an example. That satellite is designed to “measure the climate considerations of African countries, reducing their danger and controlling emissions rates.”