UAE announces launch of 2 satellites on Elon Musk’s SpaceX rocket this month

Dubai: The UAE on Thursday announced that two of its satellites will be launched on Elon Musk’s SpaceX rocket this month.

MBZ-SAT, the most advanced Earth observation satellite in the region, and HCT-SAT 1, an Earth observation CubeSat developed with participation from students here, will be launched together on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.

Salem Humaid AlMarri, Director General, Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC), the main agency behind the projects, announced that the two satellites will be launched from Vandenberg Space Force Base, California, US, this month.

It was earlier announced that MBZ-SAT, weighing one tonne and named after the UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, will be launched a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket during the Transporter-12 Rideshare mission.

Originally slated for launch in October 2024, the launch was pushed back for two months due to technical reasons.

Speaking at a press conference on Thursday, Al Marri said the mission will also launch the HCT SAT 1: “It is a proud moment for us that we are launching two satellites on board, but two very different satellites, one which is a very large satellite built over years of experience, and another one, which is going back to the core, which is trying to train students and building their capabilities.”

He said the launch of HCT-SAT 1 alongside MBZ-SAT is another milestone that reflects the UAE’s ambitious strategy to advance scientific innovation and empower Emirati youth to participate in this cutting-edge industry and thanked the country’s leadership for its constant support.

“Through the HCT programme, we were able to reach pretty much every emirate in the UAE and about 50 students. So that's something that we are very proud of, and we see that as a real part of the overall cycle of getting graduates to come and then participate in the space industry and come back.”

The nanosatellite with a unit size of 1U (10cm x 10cm x 10cm) was developed by HCT students under the guidance of MBRSC engineers.

The partnership between MBRSC and HCT encompassed not only the launch of the payload, but also an extensive educational experience, providing both students and faculty members with expert training, and delivering support in the CubeSat curriculum.

When Gulf News asked if the launch date would be tentatively on January 14 as reported on websites specialised in space launch schedules, Al Marri said: “Launch dates can change depending on various factors. Our partner SpaceX and us will jointly announce the precise launch date soon.”

However, he said the MBRSC is fully prepared for the launch of MBZ-SAT, 90 per cent of which was built by UAE-based companies. “This achievement was made possible through strategic partnerships with key companies: Strata, Emirates Global Aluminum, Halcon, Falcon, EPI, and Rockford Xellerix, who all have contributed significantly, demonstrating our growing domestic space capabilities.…We have a dedicated team on site in the US and another team here at Mission Control in Dubai, working around the clock to ensure everything is ready for the launch.”

Amer Al Sayegh Al Ghaferi, Project Manager, MBZ-SAT, said the satellite will produce high-resolution images with double the image capture accuracy, 10 times more images and four times faster data transfer speeds, than current capabilities.

“MBZ-SAT will ensure timely delivery of high-resolution images and critical data with image processing and downloading completed in under two hours. Powered by a modern electric jet propulsion technology, MBZ-SAT can ensure optimal positioning for precise imaging.”

These images will be processed and delivered in under two hours and provide insights for applications such as environmental monitoring, disaster relief, and infrastructure management, enabling decision-makers to act swiftly and effectively.

Hessa Ali, Deputy Project Manager, MBZ-SAT, said: “This satellite would not only reflect our national capabilities but also set new standards in high-resolution satellite imagery. More than 200 engineers, researchers, and experts—all driven by a shared vision—worked tirelessly towards making MBZ-SAT a reality and achieving our objectives.”

During a live video call from the US, some of the key members of the MBZ-SAT team gave updates about the mission.

Abdulla Al Shehhi, Launch Manager, said MBZ-SAT has successfully finished all the standalone testing and is ready to be launched. “We are currently integrated with the payload adapter, and will soon be integrated into the rideshare stack. Following that, the satellite will undergo encapsulation, leading up to the launch.”

Muhannad Al Mazrouei, Product Assurance Lead, pointed out: “We worked with a team of experts, utilised advanced technologies and conducted several tests on MBZ-SAT.”

Hamad Al Mulla, Assembly Integration Test Specialist, recalled that the satellite was transported to SpaceX in the USA, in preparation for the launch after comprehensive environmental tests were done in South Korea.