MBZ-SAT soars: SpaceX Falcon 9 launches UAE’s cutting-edge satellites from California

Dubai: The UAE on Tuesday night opened a new chapter in its space history by launching three satellites including the region’s most advanced commercial Earth observation satellite named in honour of the country’s President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, from the US.

A project of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC), the Emirati-made MBZ-SAT was launched along with two other CubeSats made in participation of university students in the country—HCT-SAT 1, developed by students and faculty of the Higher Colleges of Technology under the guidance of MBRSC engineers and Al Ain Sat-1 developed by the National Space Science and Technology Centre at the UAE University in collaboration with multiple partners.

The three satellites were launched into space on board a Falcon 9 rocket of Elon Musk’s SpaceX from Space Launch Complex 4E (SLC-4E) at the Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.

The rocket launch, part of SpaceX Transporter-12 rideshare mission with 131 payloads, was scheduled with a 27-minute window opening at 10:49pm in the UAE.

The liftoff took place at 11.09pm, marking another milestone in the UAE’s ambitious space programme and reinforcing the nation’s reputation as a global leader in advanced space technologies and sustainable innovation.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, grandson of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, who graduated from the prestigious Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in the UK last month, witnessed the launch from a brand new Mission Control Centre of MBRSC that became operational with the historic launch.

Senior officials from MBRSC headed by Director General Salem Humaid Al Marri and UAE astronauts including Sultan Al Neyadi, who is also the Minister of State for Youth Affairs, witnessed the launch at California.

Meanwhile, the operations team at MBRSC took control over the operations of MBZ-SAT from its low-Earth orbit around 500km away from the Earth.

There were loud cheers and applauses as the rocket blasted off to space.

Almost 200 members of MBRSC worked for four years on developing MBZ-SAT, which features an automated, 24/7 imaging system capable of capturing details smaller than one square metre.

The satellite, equipped with cutting-edge capabilities, sets a new standard in Earth observation. It will offer image capture accuracy that is twice as precise as its predecessors and generates ten times more imagery, thanks to its automated scheduling and processing system.

It will provide detailed images for various applications including environmental monitoring, navigation, infrastructure management, and disaster relief, significantly aiding in the assessment and response to natural calamities.

The first signal from MBZ-SAT is expected approximately one hour and 22 minutes after the launch, as it passes over Norway. The team’s priority is to confirm the spacecraft’s health and establish communication. This is to be followed by operational procedures, leading to imaging, with the first image likely to be captured over the UAE in the wee hours.

HCT-SAT 1 is a IU CubeSat measuring 10x10x11.5cm and weighing around 1kg while Al Ain Sat-1 is a 3U CubeSat, measuring 10 cm x 10 cm x 30 cm, with a mass of 3.7 kg. Their launches marked a significant step in enhancing the role of national educational institutions in the space sector.