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The UAE’s most advanced Earth-imaging satellite, MBZ-SAT, is set to launch on Tuesday, January 14, at 10.49pm UAE time from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, USA, the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) has announced.
This will be the second satellite developed entirely by a team of Emirati engineers, and it will be launched alongside a compact, powerful CubeSat called HCT-SAT 1.
Originally scheduled for launch in October 2024 aboard SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket, MBZ-SAT (which weighs 700 kg) faced delays due to technical issues that grounded the rocket. Now, MBRSC is using SpaceX’s rideshare program to send the satellite into space.
The livestream of the event will start at 9.30pm UAE time via the link live.mbrsc.ae.
Launched in 2019, the SpaceX rideshare programme offers a more cost-effective alternative to traditional, expensive launch services. It has already facilitated the deployment of over 200 satellites.
During a press conference last week, Salem Humaid Al Marri, Director-General MBRSC said, “We have a team on site (of seven members) in the US and a team here at Mission Control in Dubai working around the clock to ensure everything is ready for the launch.”
MBZ-SAT, named in honour of President Sheikh Mohamed, is set to transform Earth observation with unmatched imaging capabilities. Meanwhile, the student-built CubeSat project showcases the UAE’s commitment to nurturing its next generation of space explorers.
Currently, the UAE has 10 satellites in orbit, each serving a different purpose, with another eight satellites being manufactured. The MBZ-SAT features a fully automated image scheduling and processing system, allowing it to generate 10 times more images than MBRSC currently produces.
After being fully assembled in the UAE, the artificial satellite underwent rigorous scientific testing. It was then carefully packed into a specialised container with a monitoring system to ensure its safety during transportation.
“The MBZ-SAT was then shipped to South Korea for environmental testing, carried out in collaboration with the logistical team at the MBRSC,” said Amer AlSayegh AlGhaferi, project manager (MBZ-SAT). “Following the successful completion of the mission in South Korea, the satellite was transported to SpaceX in the US for the final testing phase in preparation for its launch.”
Marri emphasised that it is a moment of pride for everyone in the UAE, as the country launches two very different satellites at the same time.
“One which is a very large satellite built over years of experience, and another one which is going back to the core, trying to train students and building their capabilities. Through the HCT-SAT programme, we were able to reach pretty much every emirate in the UAE and about 50 students. So that’s something that we are very proud of, and we see that as a real part of the overall cycle of getting graduates to come and then participate in the space industry and come back,” he added.
