Monday, Jun 27, 2016

Dubai: UAE’s first communication nanosatellite, Nayif-1, is now ready to be placed into orbit by the fourth quarter of the year, The Mohammad Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) announced on Monday.

The satellite, a joint project between the MBRSC and American University of Sharjah (AUS), has successfully passed all tests and is ready to be launched into space aboard SpaceX’s Falcon 9 Rocket, they said.

The satellite was designed and built by seven Emirati engineering students from AUS under the supervision of a team of engineers and specialists from MBRSC within the framework of a partnership between the two entities, aiming to provide hands-on experience to engineering students on satellite manufacturing.

Ebrahim Al Qasim, Project Manager of Nayif-1 at MBRSC, said the satellite had passed through several design stages and testing as is typical in most satellite projects before moving into the assembly, integration and testing of the satellite flight model and readiness for launch.

“The flight model of Nayif-1 successfully completed all testing necessary to ensure that the main components of the satellite were working properly.”

Nayif-1 boasts a number of advanced features and is even programmed to transfer messages in Arabic, Al Qasim said. “It also contains an active control system - usually satellites with a unit size of 10x10x10 cm which are known as 1U Nanosatellites use a passive control system due to their limited size. The control system works accurately to determine the satellite’s position and direction in space in order to maintain its balance attitude during operations,” Al Qasim said.

Al Qasim confirmed that the installation of the ground station was completed at AUS, which will operate and control the satellite throughout its journey in space.

“Nayif-1 is ready for launch now and it’s scheduled to be launched in the fourth quarter of the year. However, the launch date depends on the launching provider, bearing in mind that Nayif-1 is considered a non-primary payload, being a nanosatellite,” he added.

Yousuf Hamad Al Shaibani, Director General of MBRSC, said this achievement reflects the determination and commitment of MBRSC to develop Emirati talent specialised in satellite manufacturing and space science.

Sustainable development deliverables and the post-oil phase requires building specialised human capabilities, where entities and institutions have to launch programmes specialised in the science and technology sectors to achieve educational goals in line with the UAE’s plans and strategies.”

Al Shaibani pointed to the importance of the success the UAE has achieved in the satellite industry, saying: “The Emirati university students possess the required skills and capabilities to design and build a CubeSat as a result of a knowledge transfer strategy and cooperation between academic and professional institutions that are launching real space projects, enabling students to see the product of their work as a reality in space.”

The knowledge transfer programme and the project were implemented in partnership with Innovative Solutions in Space, one of the leading companies worldwide in the development of space components and nanosatellite systems. MBRSC took the role of the integrator in the process and ensured that all necessary processes are in place to preserve and build upon the experience gained.

Staff Report

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