Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed Al Qasimi, Deputy Ruler of Sharjah, praised the launch of the Sharjah Sat 1 satellite that blasted off to space on Tuesday.
The miniature satellite, which weighs less than 4kg, was carried by a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket that lifted off from Cape Canaveral in Florida, state news agency Wam reported.
It has an expected life span of about three years during which it will conduct various scientific tasks such as studying the Sun, X-ray emissions and space weather during its mission in low-Earth orbit at an altitude of 550km.
It is equipped with sensors, camera and communication devices and will boost the University of Sharjah's capacity to handle larger projects.
Sheikh Sultan watched the launch at the Sharjah Academy for Astronomy, Space Sciences and Technology at the university. The satellite was built by teams from the academy and university, in co-operation with international partners.
Sheikh Sultan, who is president of the university, said it continues to work hard to establish scientific and research projects that serve humanity and enable students and researchers to develop their skills.
"We start our year by reaching space and we commend the efforts of the Sharjah Academy for Astronomy, Space Science and Technology, and we are proud of the Emirati cadres of engineers and researchers who worked on the completion of Sharjah Sat 1," he said.
The launch comes in a busy year for the UAE space programme. The country's Rashid Moon rover blasted off in December on a journey that is expected to last five months before a lunar landing is attempted.
Sheikh Sultan congratulated Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Ruler of Sharjah, and the UAE leadership on the launch of Sharjah satellite, saying that the UAE has taken successful and steady steps towards space exploration.
Dr Hamid Al Naimiy, chancellor of the University of Sharjah and director general of the academy, thanked the Ruler and Deputy Ruler for their great support. The event was also attended by officials from the university, teaching staff and a group of specialists, researchers and students.
Arabic names of UAE’s space missions and what they mean - in pictures
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A rendering of a planned satellite as part of the Sirb radar satellite constellation. Sirb translates to flock of birds. Photo: UAE Government Media Office -
The Al Amal, or Hope, probe reached Mars orbit on February 9, 2021. Dubai Media Office Twitter account -
Hope probe’s first image of Mars. Emirates Mars Mission/EXI 2021 -
The communication nanosatellite, Nayif-1, developed by students from the American University of Sharjah and engineers at the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre. Photo: Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre -
Fatma Loota, Deputy project manager of Nayif-1 at the MBRSC who is holding a model of the nanosatellite Nayif-1 in 2015. Photo: Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre -
Engineers pose for a photograph with a model of KhalifaSat - the first satellite built entirely by Emirati engineers. The satellite was named after Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed, Late President of the UAE. Wam -
KhalifaSat, the UAE's first domestically built satellite, captured the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi in 2021. Photo: KhalifaSat / Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre -
The Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre is building the MBZSat, expected to be the region's most powerful imaging satellite. It is named after the UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed. Dubai Media Office -
An MBRSC engineer works on the MBZSat. Photo: Dubai Media Office
