Palm Jumeirah — The first image sent by KhalifaSat
We are proud of this achievement, Mohammad says
The satellite, made from scratch by an all-Emirati team of engineers, was launched into space from Japan on October 29.
The UAE’s KhalifaSat has captured its first photo after almost a week of calibration — the Palm Jumeirah in Dubai.
His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, shared yesterday the image via Twitter.
In the post, Haman Obaid Al Mansouri, Chairman of the Mohammad Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) was shown presenting the photo to Shaikh Mohammad, His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces and Shaikh Hamdan Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai.
With KhalifaSat’s superior earth imaging capability of a ground sample distance of 70cm, the structures on the Palm were clearly visible.
The photo was shared when Shaikh Mohammad received the MBRSC team.
Shaikh Mohammad said: “Today, I and my brother Mohammad Bin Zayed received the team of engineers who developed the first 100 per cent Emirati-made satellite.”
“We are proud of it, an achievement with which we raise our ambitions — a project we consider the beginning of a great and new journey for the UAE in the space sector until reaching Mars and beyond,” he said.
His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai and His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Abu Dhabi Crown Prince and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces yesterday received the Emirati engineering team who helped design, build and launch KhalifaSat at Za’abeel Palace.
Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid and Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed congratulated the engineering team on the great achievement, which they described as a source of pride for the UAE leadership, people and their families as well as the entire Arab nation. They voiced their appreciation in the national cadres who took part in this scientific and humanitarian achievement, which contributed to placing the UAE high on the map of the developed countries.
The meeting was attended by Shaikh Hamdan Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai Crown Prince, Shaikh Hazza Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Chairman of Abu Dhabi Executive Council; Lieutenant General Shaikh Saif Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, Shaikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, ministers and senior officials.