CAIRO (youregypt.com) - Egypt has announced it will launch as early as next October its first scientific satellite.

The project is supervised by Egypt 's National Authority for Remote Sensing and Space Sciences.

The manufacture of satellite, known as Egyptsat 1, would be assisted by Ukraine which would provide technical training and advice.

Egypt insists the purpose of the satellite is mere scientific, though some analysts said it came as a response on Israel 's launch of Ofeq 5 reconnaissance satellite in 2002.

Egypt has launched its first satellite Nilesat 101 in April 1998, and followed it by another one, Nile Sat 102, in August 2000. The purpose of the two satellites is media and multimedia broadcast.

by Raymon Kondos

CAIRO (youregypt.com) - The World Bank has approved a $335 million as a loan to Egypt to develop airports of Egypt . The project aims at building new passenger terminals a Cairo and Sharm El-Sheikh's international airports.

Over the past few years, complaints have been raised against congestions at both airports which were built to suit a small number of passengers. Boom in tourism have brought to surface questions over capacity of Egypt 's airport facilities.

The project, which should end by December 2008, also aims at upgrading the existing service quality at the airports to come in line with international standards, while inviting the private sector to have an active role in such process.

More than 50% of Egypt 's passenger traffic passes through Cairo International Airport , while 75% of passengers arriving to the airport come from international destinations.

"The project will support the Government's on-going program to reform the civil aviation sector. It is also critically important for Egypt in providing experience in designing and financing large and complex infrastructure projects," said Mahmood Ayub, World Bank Country Director for Egypt in a statement by the World Bank on last March 30.