Watch: Emirati engineers begin assembly of MBZ-SAT in Dubai
MBZ-SAT is the region’s most advanced commercial satellite being built by UAE engineers
Dubai: The Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) took to Twitter on Tuesday to show how Emirati engineers are building MBZ-SAT, the second all-UAE made satellite that will be launched in 2023.
“MBRSC engineers inspected MBZ-SAT’s base adapter, the interface between the satellite and the launch vehicle. They utilised the Faro Arm measurement machine to make sure that the manufactured part met design specifications, features, and quality,” MBRSC tweeted.
In the short video clip, Mohammed AlSahool, head of MBRSC’s Mechanical Manufacturing Unit, explained how engineers – all donning PPEs (personal protective equipment) and face masks – are inspecting the mechanical parts using the Faro Arm machine to make sure that they meet standards and specifications. “This step helps us to begin assembly on the mechanical structure of the satellite,” he added.
Faro Arm is a measuring machine that allows easy verification of product quality by performing 3D inspections, tool certifications, CAD (computer-aided design) comparison, dimensional analysis, reverse engineering and more.
Most advanced commercial satellite
MBZ-SAT, named after His Highness Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, is the second satellite that will be built by a team of Emirati engineers at MBRSC in Dubai. It will also become the UAE’s fourth Earth observation satellite to be launched by MBRSC, after KhalifaSat — the first Emirati made satellite that was launched in 2018; and DubaiSat-1 and DubaiSat-2 that were launched in 2009 and 2013 respectively.
According to MBRSC, MBZ-SAT will become the most advanced commercial satellite in the region in the field of high-resolution satellite imagery. It will be equipped with an automated system for arranging images round-the-clock. MBZ-SAT will provide high-resolution satellite images that will show details within an area of less than one square metre.
Locally made
Last month, MBRSC signed an agreement with UAE-based aero structures manufacturing company Strata to manufacture and supply the components of MBZ-SAT. The agreement is part of MBRSC’s collaboration with local companies within the space sector to build a local hub for space-related manufacturers. The strategic cooperation also enhances the sustainability of the national space sector in the UAE, according to MBRSC.