DUBAI // The UAE's first government satellite, DubaiSat-1, will be launched on July 25, scientists announced yesterday. The satellite project, costing almost Dh184 million (US$50m), has been beset by administrative and logistical delays, but will finally take to the sky during a night launch from Kazakhstan.
"It's official now. We are ready to launch DubaiSat-1 in 51 days," said Ahmed Obaid al Mansoori, director general of the Emirates Institution for Advanced Science and Technology (EIAST), which is overseeing the project. "The satellite marks the UAE's entry into a new era of innovation, scientific and technological exploration." Communications satellites have been launched by UAE companies, but this will be the first government satellite to be sent into orbit. Satellites from the UK, United States and Spain also will be carried by the Russian Dnepr rocket.
DubaiSat-1, designed for Earth observation and remote sensing, was originally scheduled to launch in the fourth quarter of 2008 but was hit by a series of delays. The satellite, which has a minimum lifespan of five years, will beam back high-resolution images for a host of applications including disaster management, environmental monitoring and urban planning. Mr al Mansoori outlined four areas scientists would focus on: "Observation and forecast of fog formation; use of satellite pictures in predicting sand storms; quality of water in the Gulf region - especially the effect of waste distillation [on the] environment and marine life ... and ways to improve the clarity of satellite pictures."
DubaiSat-1 will ride into space on a modified Soviet SS-18 intercontinental ballistic missile launched near Baikonur Cosmodrome, where Yuri Gagarin lifted off in 1961 to become the first man in space. The 200kg satellite was completed in July after two years' work by a team of South Korean and Emirati engineers. The 16 Emirati engineers travelled to Daejeon, South Korea, to help oversee construction.
"We are reiterating our goal to strengthen the involvement of Emiratis in space technology research," Mr al Mansoori said. Mohamed al Ghanim, chairman of the EIAST board, said the launch would help cement the Emirates' position as a significant player in space research. "The satellite will pave the way for further space projects that highlight the UAE's efforts to become a leader," he said. "With the launch of DubaiSat-1, the UAE joins a league of nations that have made strong inroads in space research and technology."
He added that the new satellite would provide data that could assist urban planners, pollution researchers and those managing disaster relief. From its 700km orbit it will take thousands of photographs of the UAE, which scientists will be able to view moments later. The images will be available to government bodies and academic institutions. Work has started on another satellite, DubaiSat-2, expected to be launched within two years, and there are plans for a DubaiSat-3. The July launch will be supervised by the Russian Federal Space Agency through the Moscow-based international space company Kosmotras.
Engineers also developed and built a ground station to monitor and manage the satellite, as well as an image-receiving station and a processing centre. EIAST was established by a Dubai government decree in 2006. chamilton@thenational.ae
