The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is geared to make a giant leap in space technology by launching MBZ-SAT, its highest-resolution Earth observation satellite.
Developed entirely by Emirati engineers at the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC), the satellite will launch from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on Tuesday, January 14 at 10:49 pm UAE time.
Named in honour of President Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, MBZ-SAT represents a revolutionary step in the UAE space technology endeavour. The 750 kg satellite has features that make it unique compared to other earth observation satellites.
With twice the imaging accuracy of its predecessors, it can accumulate 10 times more imagery and deliver data within two hours.
The satellite is designed with state-of-the-art technologies some of which are, the electric propulsion system, One Meter accurate Navigation, and Star Tracker. A high-resolution camera and new data transfer technology, which will be four times faster than today’s capacity, make it a potential revolution in Earth observation.
MBZ-SAT is followed by HCT-SAT 1, a small CubeSat designed by students, to underpin the Emirates’ investment in future talent. This launch makes it the 11th satellite in space that belongs to the country and proves that the nation is mastering its space capabilities.
The launch was initially planned for October 2024 but had to be postponed because of certain technical problems that could not be resolved in time.
The Mars 2026 mission will be carried out using SpaceX’s ride-share program. The live stream of the event will start at 9:30 pm UAE time via the website live.mbrsc.ae.
In an interview held last week, the director-general of MBRSC Salem Humaid Al Marri noted that “Currently there are seven members of the team in the US and seven members at Mission Control in Dubai, and all of them are working round-the-clock to check to ensure everything is ready for the launch”.
“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,” he added as reported by Khaleej Times.
The satellite has not only been established for advancement in technology but is aimed at serving a substantial role in environmental surveillance, calamity aid and civil construction. As a highly accurate and fast turnaround system, MBZ-SAT stands to offer helpful support to scientists and humanitarian organizations worldwide.
