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UAE to develop first satellite project

Dubai, April 24, 2013

Emirates Institution for Advanced Science and Technology (EIAST) has announced the launch of its new strategic project DubaiSat-3, the first satellite to be developed in the UAE.

A core team of 45 UAE experts and engineers will lead the development of DubaiSat-3, the third satellite program to be undertaken by EIAST in collaboration with its partner Satrec Initiative (SI), the leading solution provider for Earth observation missions, said a statement from EIAST.

DubaiSat-3 will initially be developed in South Korea and later transferred to EIAST’s satellite manufacturing facilities in the UAE midway through the project, it stated.

EIAST further revealed that it will start developing its own clean room and satellite manufacturing facilities, which consist of labs that keep the environment in the clean room free from dust and humidity, at the EIAST headquarters in Dubai this year as part of preparations for the transfer of the DubaiSat-3 development to Dubai.

EIAST’s Emirati engineers will be taking the lead in the development of the project from the start and SI will be assuming a consultative role. These latest developments will firm up the transfer of satellite development in the UAE.

Hamad Obaid Al Mansoori, the chairman of the EIAST Board said the ultimate goal of the institution was to develop a core team of local experts and position UAE as a global leader in science and technology.

"The DubaiSat-3 Project marks a very important step towards realizing this vision as our own UAE experts and engineers will be taking a leadership role in the development of the satellite," he noted.

Yousef Al Sheibani, the director general of EIAST said the launch of the project is a very important step forward and is a clear manifestation of the Emirati institution’s dedication, hard work and commitment in cultivating a culture of scientific and technological excellence in the UAE.

"EIAST has progressed significantly since we began collaborating in 2006 with Satrec Initiative, and we look forward to the next stage of our strategic relationship," he stated.

Al Sheibani said the DubaiSat-3 was an important project as it tested its own satellite manufacturing capabilities and ultimately gave insights to further improve future satellite development programs.

Salem Al Marri, the assistant director general for scientific and technical affairs, EIAST, said: “It is the vision of EIAST to effectively use and exploit space science technologies and applications to advance the UAE’s social and economic development plans."

"The DubaiSat-3 Project brings us closer to this vision because, for the first time, we will be primarily using local expertise and technologies in completing the new satellite within the next three and a half years," he explained.

"The first two years of development will take place in South Korea in collaboration with Satrec Initiative. The final year and a half of development will be the most crucial for us as we will be moving the project to our facilities in Dubai," he noted.

According to him, the satellite bus of DubaiSat-3 will be similar to that of DubaiSat-2, but there will be significant changes in its payload and the size of the camera.

"It will also feature a new, highly sophisticated camera system, which works as an accurate magnifier achieving a sub-meter resolution of 70 centimetres from a distance of 600 kilometres above the surface of the Earth. There will also be improvements in the download speed and computing capabilities," added Al Marri.-TradeArabia News Service




Tags: UAE | project | Korea | Satellite |

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