Emirati satellite to be launched from India
dubai — A nanosatellite built by a team of Emirati students will be launched into space between February 14 and 25 from Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, India, on board a PSLV-C37 rocket.
If ideal weather conditions prevail, the nanosatellite, Nayif-1, will be launched on the morning of February 15, the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre and the American University of Sharjah (AUS) have announced.
After the launch, the satellite will be operated and controlled by a team of specialists at the ground station located at the AUS.
Nayif-1’s main mission objective is to send and receive messages on amateur radio frequencies. It boasts of a number of advanced features, most notable of which is its ability to transfer messages in Arabic.
15 February is the launch date for Nayif-1
dubai — A nanosatellite built by a team of Emirati students has got its launch date, the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) and the American University of Sharjah (AUS) have announced.
The launch of the nanosatellite Nayif-1 will occur between February 14 and 25 from Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, India, on board a PSLV-C37 rocket.
Nayif-1 is expected to be launched on the morning of February 15, if all logistics are intact and ideal weather conditions prevail. Currently, a team of specialists at the MBRSC and AUS are working to ascertain the readiness of the ground station located at the university, from which the satellite will be operated and controlled after its launch.
Yousuf Hamad Al Shaibani, director-general of MBRSC, said he is very proud of the Emirati students who participated in all phases of developing Nayif-1. He also pointed out that four of the students who worked on Nayif-1 have been selected to join the MBRSC team to work on the Emirates Mars Mission, Hope mission, and KhalifaSat project.
Al Shaibani said that the educational CubeSat project, Nayif-1, represents an important step that is in line with the MBRSC strategy aiming to building national human capacities in the UAE universities and providing training on satellite manufacturing technology.
“This kind of space project is of a high priority for government and educational institutions worldwide, because it provides extensive knowledge to researchers, as well as the basics of satellite manufacturing and space system testing. Over the past two years, we began to establish CubeSat manufacturing technology in the UAE to be used in environmental and development-related fields which are of interest to the community,” he said.
“We count on our youth to provide solutions and innovations that are conducive to sector growth, and lead to gaining a
We count on our youth to provide solutions and innovations that are conducive to sector growth, and lead to gaining a competitive edge worldwide.” Yousuf Hamad Al Shaibani, director-general, MBRSC
competitive edge worldwide,” Al Shaibani added.
Dr. Bjorn Kjerfve, chancellor of AUS said: “We look forward to the launch of the nanosatellite Nayif-1 with great anticipation. Developed by Emirati engineering graduates from AUS under the supervision of a team of engineers and specialists from MBRSC, this project reflects the commitment of our university towards research and innovation in fields that will play a significant role in the future of the country.”
Nayif-1 has been tested on ground and has successfully passed all tests including the full system environmental tests.
reporters@khaleejtimes.com