DUBAI // Emirati students will design, engineer and test a “nanosatellite” as part of the country’s push into the aerospace industry.
The Nayif-1 satellite is part of the CubeSat Mission developed by Emirates Institution for Advanced Science and Technology, or Eiast, and American University of Sharjah.
It is due to be launched into space at the end of next year.
The project aims to develop a high-tech science and technology base by giving Emirati students experience in the development process.
“This programme plays a significant role in developing the science and technology sector in the UAE through investing in local talents and capabilities,” said Yousuf Al Shaibani, director general of Eiast.
“We expect to have significant involvement of Emirati engineering students with the outcome being a UAE-built and owned CubeSat.”
The CubeSat Mission will lay the groundwork for a continuing programme at the university, Mr Al Shaibani said.
Once finished, the communications satellite will be launched into space on a Falcon 9 rocket.
A special ground station will be built at the university and Emirati engineering students will manage the mission and operations.
A team of seven Emirati students from a range of backgrounds including computer, electrical and mechanical engineering will work on the project. They will first undergo intense training to learn more about systems and testing, and it will be their senior engineering design project.
Development will take place at the university, Eiast and with Innovative Solutions in Space, a company based in Delft in the Netherlands.
Eiast will supervise the overall process with to make sure the right infrastructure is in place at the university.
Nayif-1 is considered the catalyst in creating the knowledge and infrastructure that will be used in future CubeSat missions.
It also seeks to promote a culture of science, particularly space science, by making it accessible to young Emiratis.
The CubeSat is based on a design with an average dimension of 10 cubic centimetres.
It will weigh about 1 kilogram, making it more easily managed and accessible to students.
The satellite can also be easily scaled up in size.
The technology used will be readily available, with parts that are already in use in universities for scientific research.
CubeSats have become popular in the industry because of their ease of use and simple design, and a range of launch opportunities make them ideal for education and governments.
They are also more cost-effective satellites for developing space programmes.
nhanif@thenational.ae