On Tuesday, January 14, at 11:09 p.m. local time, SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket successfully launched MBZ-SAT, the UAE’s most sophisticated Earth-imaging satellite, from the Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, USA. This is the second satellite created solely by an Emirati team, and it is being launched with HCT-SAT 1, a small but potent CubeSat.It can provide accuracy in imaging places thanks to its sophisticated electric propulsion, accurate navigation, and high-resolution camera, as well as supporting uses including disaster assistance, infrastructure management, and environmental monitoring.
The SpaceX ridesharing program
MBRSC is employing SpaceX’s rideshare program to launch the satellite into orbit. The MBZ-SAT was initially scheduled to launch on the company’s rocket in October 2024, however delays resulted from technical problems that caused the rocket to ground. The SpaceX rideshare program, which was introduced in 2019, provides a more affordable option to more costly, conventional launch services. More than 200 satellites have already been deployed thanks to it. 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,” stated Salem Humaid Al Marri, Director General of MBRSC, at a news briefing last week. On the other hand, the student-built CubeSat project demonstrates the UAE’s dedication to fostering the next wave of space travellers. Ten satellites, each with a distinct function, are currently in orbit in the United Arab Emirates, and eight more are being built.
A satellite manufactured in the United Arab Emirates
This program enhances the UAE’s standing in the space industry and fosters closer ties between the public and private sectors, as 90% of the satellites were constructed by UAE firms. The satellite was developed by the space centre in partnership with five domestic commercial companies: Rockford Xellerix, Edge Group’s EPI, Falcon Group, aerospace company Mubadala’s Strata, and Halcon, a manufacturer of precision-guided devices. Now, MBZ-SAT will keep an eye on the environment, evaluate the quality of the water, aid in the growth of agriculture, prepare and analyse maps, and support disaster relief initiatives.
It will be controlled and observed from the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Center’s space mission control room.
A proud moment for the UAE
Marri underlined that the simultaneous launch of two very distinct satellites is “a moment of pride for everyone in the UAE.”
“One is a very large satellite built over years of experience, and another is going back to the core, trying to train students and build their capabilities,” Al Marri stated last week in an interview with Khaleej Times. We were able to reach roughly 50 kids in each of the UAE’s emirates through the HCT-SAT program. We take great pride in that, and we regard it as an important component of the larger cycle of attracting graduates to work in the space business. Ahead of the historic satellite launch, the Burj Khalifa was illuminated in a stunning show of creativity and patriotism. The world’s tallest structure was converted into a gigantic projector on the evening of January 14 to display the imaging satellite in orbit around the planet.
