Angola leads SADC satellite committee
Zolana João chairs the 16-nation Shared Satellite Steering Committee for Southern Africa.
Angola is leading a Southern African Development Community (SADC) initiative to develop a jointly owned satellite, with engineer Zolana João presiding over the Shared Satellite Steering Committee. This project aims to leverage satellite infrastructure for connectivity, Earth observation, and economic development across 16 member states.
João, who also leads Angola's GGPEN, is working to convert satellite technology into practical tools. Initiatives like the ANGEO-1, Angola's first high-performance Earth observation satellite, are designed to support environmental monitoring, disaster response, and national development planning. The Angola Geodata Center (GEDAE) is integral to transforming this data into decision-making support.
The ambition is to extend connectivity to rural areas through projects like ANGOSAT-2 and Connecta Angola, while Earth observation applications will aid agricultural planning and climate change response. João, affiliated with MIT, is also involved in a NASA-funded drought response system for Angola and participates in international discussions on space governance and Africa's role in the space economy.
Why it mattersAngolan engineer Zolana João leads a regional satellite project impacting 16 SADC countries.