Morocco Launches A Satellite, Hides Spying On Algeria

Launch of Morocco satellite is acting within a legitimate framework to meet its economic, technological, social and environmental needs, a spokesman for the Moroccan government, Mostapha Khalfi, said.

“This great achievement for our country regarding the launch of a satellite should not be a cause to fear anyone!”, he added.

The Moroccan Minister explained that “Algeria and Spain fear that Morocco will use its satellite not only for scientific reasons but for other aims. This achievement is an honor to Morocco!”

On Wednesday, Morocco launched its first surveillance satellite, called “Mohammed VI A”, from the Kourou base that belongs to the French Guiana region to strengthen the kingdom’s security and intelligence capabilities, according to media sources.

Al-Khalfi said at a press conference, on Thursday, following the weekly cabinet meeting: “To move forward and to make greater strides at the technological level to meet the economic, developmental, agricultural and other needs is not easy for our country.” 

“More progress and greater technological potential should not be a cause for concern.”

He considered the launch of the satellite “a legitimate and required step, which promotes the path of economic, social and environmental development of Morocco. The Kingdom is acting within the framework of sovereignty to meet its needs.”

The Moroccan government spokesman’s comments came on the back of media reports in Algeria and Spain that spoke about the satellite’s use by the kingdom for other tasks, including “spying”.

Apart from the language of reassurance that Morocco has traveled through Al Khalfi, the information available on this satellite comes to confirm that it is an instrument of spying with excellence.

In October, the Spanish newspaper “El Pais”, expressed concerns about Morocco’s determination to launch the first satellite that is “specialized in espionage”, adding in a report that “this satellite will disrupt the military balance and strengthen the advantage of spying for Morocco” .

Reports said that it is a “high-resolution Earth observation satellite, that was made in France and is “strictly confidential”, adding that it was not a single satellite, but a program with a financial value of over 500 million euros, including two artificial satellites, that are called “MN35-13”, that was launched last week, while the second is expected to be sent to space in 2018, but there is not much information about it.

According to the reports, the confidentiality of the deal makes it difficult to know some of the characteristics of the new Moroccan satellite, but “it is supposed to be a copy of the French artificial satellites” Pléiades1″ and “Pléiades 2”, which France sent to space in 2011 and 2012,  for this reason, informed sources suggested that the two artificial lunar satellites will be two copies of the French satellites under the name MN35-13, especially since the two satellites “Pléiades” are separated by 180 degrees.

In other words, when the first is in the East, the second is in the West, which allows access to high-resolution images, earth observation around the clock and recording all small and large details.

The new satellite was designed by the French company, Thales Alenia Space, which was responsible for the imaging device, and Airbus Defense & Space, which provided the platform and the ground part for mission planning and monitoring.

The moon, which will fly at a height of 695 kilometers from the Earth, and will be able to capture 500 images a day and send them to the ground control station near the airport of the capital Rabat.