Monday, September 29, 2008

United Arab Emirates: DubaiSat 1 ready for launch

The United Arab Emirates’ (UAE) first remote sensing and earth observation satellite is ready for launch later this year.

The Emirates Institute for Advanced Science and Technology (EIAST), in a statement issued here, said DubaiSat 1 was now awaiting its launch later this year onboard a Russian rocket through the Moscow-based International Space Company (ISC) Kosmotras.

UAE’s first earth observation satellite has been developed by Satellite Technology Research Centre (SatRec) of South Korea with in-depth participation of UAE engineers from the EIAST.

Developing a core team of UAE scientists and experts was the most definitive outcome of a strategy that is geared to support mature, knowledge based development,’ Ahmed Obaid Al Mansoori, director general of EIAST, said in the statement.

‘Developing a base of UAE scientists and engineers is a crucial first step in becoming a regional and global leader in the fields of advanced science and technology,’ he added.

Designed and developed by a dedicated team and built in collaboration with international entities, DubaiSat 1 will be one of the most advanced small size satellite of its kind when it is launched, according to EIAST.

Meanwhile, the development team behind DubaiSat 1 is already working on finalizing designs for DubaiSat 2, as it continues in its efforts to create the UAE’s first constellation of Satellites.

The design concept of DubaiSat 2 is being laid down and strategic partners for its construction are being selected, EIAST said.

Established in 2006, EIAST is a strategic initiative of the Dubai government and is aimed at inspiring scientific innovation and fostering technological advancement within the UAE and the region.

[via]

0 comments:

Post a Comment