TAIFA-1 nanosatellite. Photo: EnduroSat and SayariLabs

SayariLabs, a Kenyan space company, and EnduroSat, a provider of software-defined nanosatellites and space services for business and academia, are joining forces to launch TAIFA-1, calling it Kenya’s first software-defined nanosatellite. The agreement was announced Jan. 25.

TAIFA-1 will be launched on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, and is scheduled for launch in the fourth quarter of this year. The satellite will have a hyperspectral Earth-observation camera to provide customers with environmental, wildlife, agricultural monitoring, and land use mapping. TAIFA-1 is aimed at preventing the calamities in the region, as East Africa has experienced heavy droughts and wildfires over the last decade, causing water crisis and damages of local agriculture and food supplies.

EnduroSat organized two-week educational training dedicated to space systems and engineering, covering all aspects of mission analysis, design, and spacecraft assembly for the engineering team of SayariLabs under a partnership between the companies.

“SayariLabs is on a mission of democratizing these industries for all interested players in the African region and in making Kenya a space giant in the next generation. With the advancement of technology this fantasy is quickly becoming a reality. Our partnership with EnduroSat, a leading company in this industry, is a major game-changer and it strengthens our hope and belief of being a major space and satellite solution provider in Kenya, the African region and other parts of the world,” Aaron Nzau, founder and CEO of SayariLabs, said in a statement.