UAE and UN satellite initiative to help Bahrain and Nepal gain access to space

The programme aims to allow emerging space nations and developing countries to launch their technologies

The Hope probe was built by 150 Emirati engineers, researchers and scientists. Photo: Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre

The first image of Mars taken by the UAE's Hope probe, which arrived at the Red Planet on February 9. EPA

Nora Al Matrooshi the first Arab woman to train as an astronaut. Photo: MBRSC

Hazza Al Mansouri, left, Nora Al Matrooshi, Mohammed Al Mulla and Sultan Al Neyadi together for the first time at Nasa's Johnson Space Centre in Houston. Photo: MBRSC

Sarah al Amiri at the launch of a new project to explore the main asteroid belt, with a Venus fly-by, from 2028. Photo: Ministry of Presidential Affairs / Dubai Media Office

Ministers and VIPs listen as Sarah Al Amiri sets out details of the five-year mission. Photo: Ministry of Presidential Affairs / Dubai Media Office

The final prototype of the UAE's Rashid lunar rover. Photo: Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre

Emirati engineers test parts of the Rashid rover, which will be sent to the Moon in 2022. Photo: MBRSC

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Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai on a visit to the 72nd International Astronautical Congress at Dubai World Trade Centre on October 25, 2021. Sheikh Mohammed was accompanied, among others, by Emirati astronauts Hazza Al Mansouri, Sultan Al Neyadi and graduates from the second batch of the UAE Astronaut Programme, Nora Al Matrooshi and Mohammed Al Mulla. Wam

The opening ceremony for the International Astronautical Congress took place on October 25 at Dubai World Trade Centre. Photo: Dubai Media Office

A space initiative by the UAE and UN is helping to give access to space to nations that are trying to develop their own space programmes.

Bahrain and Nepal were recently selected to add their technologies into a satellite called PHI-1.

The modular satellite is part of the Payload Hosting initiative by the UN Office for Outer Space Affairs (Unoosa) and the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre.

Private companies will help build the satellite for the space centre, with technologies from Bahrain and Nepal to be added in. A launch date has not been given.

Unoosa acting director Niklas Hedman said that the programme is helping emerging space nations build capacities in space science and technology.

"I already look forward to seeing the results of the PHI programme boosting the space industry in Bahrain and Nepal,” he said.

Left to right: Unoosa acting director Niklas Hedman, Abhas Maskey, founder of Antarikchya Pratisthan Nepal, Mohamed Al Aseeri, chief executive of Bahrain National Space Science Agency, and MBRSC director general Salem Al Marri. Photo: MBRSC

Bahrain’s National Space Science Agency (NSSA) will develop the Aman payload, which will help secure communication between the satellite and ground station.

Nepal’s Antarikchya Pratisthan, a non-profit organisation, will build the ‘Danfe Space Mission’ – technology that will study operations of drones in space.

“Aman is considered the first Bahraini payload fully designed, integrated and tested by NSSA,” said Mohamed Al Aseeri, chief executive of Bahrain’s space agency.

“This opportunity is unprecedented in our quest to contribute meaningfully to the global effort towards sustainable, peaceful use of outer space and building national capacity in the space field."

Bahrain has increased investment in space over the past few years and is a signatory of the US-led Artemis Accords, an international agreement that outlines peaceful space exploration.

The UAE and Bahrain have worked together on another satellite – the Light-1 Cubesat – which was launched last year to study charged particles above thunderstorms.

Bahrain and Nepal’s selection in the first round of the Payload Hosting Initiative will help the nations' engineers to build skills and gain experience in space technologies.

Abhas Maskey, the founder of Antarikchya Pratisthan Nepal, said that their involvement will help the organisation move closer to Vision 2050 – a programme that aims to launch Nepal’s first astronaut in space by 2050.

“If Nepal is to progress as a spacefaring nation, the country has to take each and every opportunity available to develop self-reliance, perform research and development and build capacity for space,” he said.

Nepal launched its first satellite NepaliSat-1 in 2019. Since then, it has been trying to increase activities in space, but its space programme is struggling to get a decent budget, according to local reports.

The National reported earlier that the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre would try to develop at least two satellites under the Payload Hosting Initiative each year to help create access to space for developing nations.