MBZ-Sat: new satellite will boost UAE’s knowledge-based economy

The satellite will launch in 2023 and will offer commercial and civilian services

KhalifaSat is launched from Tanegashima Island in Japan in October 2018. Nozomi Endo / Kyodo News via AP

Space officials in the UAE are hopeful the coming Earth-observation satellite, MBZ-Sat, will contribute to the country's knowledge-based economy.

Most of the satellite’s parts will be acquired through UAE-based companies this time, instead of international companies.

MBZ-Sat, named after Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, will be three times more efficient than KhalifaSat – the first UAE-built satellite, launched in 2018.

The satellite will be three metres by five metres and will weigh about 700 kilograms.

“Our aim is to work with different companies in the UAE that will provide components and technologies from mechanical, electronics and software, for the satellite,” said Amer Al Sayegh, Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre’s senior director of space engineering.

“This will push forward the knowledge-based economy and a more sustainable space programme in the UAE because we’d be promoting these industries.”

Mr Al Sayegh told The National the partnerships would give UAE's commercial space industry a boost, because the firms would eventually become capable of taking on more local and international space projects.

Previous Emirati satellites were built with components procured internationally, including KhalifaSat's solar panels, which are by Italian company Leonardo.

DubaiSat-1 and DubaiSat-2 were built in South Korea by Emiratis and South Koreans.

These Earth-observation satellites have been providing images to federal government departments and international customers for several years.

But, now, the space centre wants to improve image quality and download speed to supply content more efficiently to customers.

They have partnered with ground networks to offer 24-hour coverage, meaning images can be downloaded at any time or any place even if the satellite is not over the coverage area.

“We have worked a lot on the commercialisation capability of this satellite,” Mr Al Sayegh said.

“Our customers usually look for better quality images, but also faster response time. We are looking at automation of all of the processes – all the way from requesting to receiving an image.”

KhalifaSat’s download speed is 320 megabytes per second and MBZ-Sat’s will be 1.2 gigabytes per second – three times faster.

The camera resolution will be twice that of KhalifaSat’s.

The quick turnaround will also help during humanitarian disasters.

The space centre provides free visuals to countries and relief organisations during disasters such as the Beirut Port explosion this year. The moments when a massive iceberg broke off in Greenland and the deserted airports around the world during Covid-19 lockdowns were also captured by Emirati satellites.

"Catastrophic events around the world are not timed, so you never know when they will happen," Mr Al Sayegh said.

“But we do try to have as much accessibility to our satellite [KhalifaSat] as possible to take that image and download it. Sometimes it works and, at times, it comes after a day or three days – it depends on the location of the satellite

“Now, we will have access to the satellite [MBZ-Sat] and we will improve download and imaging speed.”

UAE's space investments now exceed Dh22 billion – a reflection on how the country is preparing for a post-oil era. There has been a greater focus on the knowledge-based economy, and sectors such as space, tech, science and food security.

The UAE Space Agency has worked with the federal government to introduce space laws to encourage local and international businesses, including start-ups, to invest in the space sector.

Space agencies around the world are moving towards a commercial model for sustainability.

US space agency Nasa is now launching crewed missions to the International Space Station from Florida again through private partnerships with SpaceX, owned by billionaire Elon Musk.

UAE's landmark mission to Mars – in pictures 

The Hope probe launches from Japan's Tanegashima Space Centre on July 20. AFP

It will take the spacecraft, which later detached from the rocket, about 200 days to reach the Red Planet, arriving in February 2021. Courtesy: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries

The launch of the rocket is captured on video at Japan's Tanegashima Space Centre. Courtesy: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries

The first homegrown Arab space mission drew in interest from across the globe. Courtesy: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries

The launch of the rocket from Japan's Tanegashima Space Centre. Courtesy: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries

Waiting for the launch in the morning light. MHI Launch Services twitter

Emirati journalists clap as they watch the launch of the Hope space probe at Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre in Dubai. AP

A broadcasting of the launch of the Hope Mars probe at the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre in Dubai. AFP

An Emirati man wipes a tear away with his face mask while watching the launch of the Hope space probe at Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre in Dubai. AP

Mohammed Al Mannaee, an announcer with Dubai TV, reacts as he watches the launch. AP

Sarah Al Ameeri and the UAE team watch the launch at at the Tanegashima Space Centre

The UAE team watch the launch of the Mars Hope probe at at the Tanegashima Space Centre.

Sarah Al Ameeri and the UAE team watch the launch at at the Tanegashima Space Centre

A screen broadcasts the launch of the Mars probe at Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre in Dubai. AFP

Solid rocket booster (SRB-A) was separated after burnout during the launch of the H-2A rocket carrying the Hope Probe, developed by the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for the Mars explore, are recorded by cameras onboard the rocket after the lauch from Tanegashima Space Center on the island of Tanegashima, Japan. REUTERS

A screen broadcasts the launch of the Mars probe at Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre in Dubai. AFP

The launch of the rocket from Japan's Tanegashima Space Centre. Courtesy: MHI Launch Services

Omran Sharaf, the project director for the Hope space probe, speaks on his mobile phone at Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre in Dubai. AP

Sarah Al Ameeri, Minister of State for Advanced Sciences of United Arab Emirates, celebrates with Naohiko Abe, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) Senior Vice President, Head of Integrated Defence and Space Systems, after the successful launch of the H-2A rocket carrying the Hope Probe, developed by the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for the Mars explore, at Tanegashima Space Center on the island of Tanegashima, Japan. REUTERS

Emiratis are pictured at the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre in Dubai ahead of the expected launch of the "Hope" Mars probe from Japan. AFP

The weather was clear over Tanegashima Island in southern Japan on Sunday after weeks of rain and cloudy conditions. Courtesy: Dubai Media Office

Emirati engineers wave in a picture taken on Sunday from Japan's Tanegashima Space Centre. Courtesy: Emirates Mars Mission / UAE Space Agency

The launch of the rocket from Japan's Tanegashima Space Centre. Screengrab courtesy MHI Launch Services