EOSat-1 is the fourth satellite mission designed in South Africa and the first South African earth observation mission, currently in design and development. The satellite is South Africa’s contribution to the planned African Resource and Environmental Management (ARMC) satellite constellation. SANSA and the Department of Science and Technology began work on EOSat-1 in December 2012, funded by the DST and the Department of Trade and Industry.
The EOSat-1 Mission Advisory Committee (EO-MAC) was commissioned in October 2013 to define earth observation missions, and to specify and prioritise EOSat-1 user requirements. The mission statement was defined in May 2014, and the programme is currently in the Design Development Phase with Denel Dynamics Spaceteq as the main contractor.