First UAE observatory satellite set for launch

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DubaiSat-1: The UAE's first earth observation satellite

The UAE's first earth observation satellite is set to be launched onboard a Russian rocket through the Moscow-based International Space Company (ISC) Kosmotras at the end of 2008.

Developed by Satrec Initiative (SatrecI) in South Korea with the participation of local engineers at the Emirates Institute for Advanced Science & Technology (EIAST), the DubaiSat-1 is one of the most advanced satellites of its kind.

Earth observation satellites are used to observe the earth and sea surfaces, ocean currents, clouds and other elements from space. Special observatory instruments are installed on the satellite for remote sensing capabilities and, once launched, instrument operations can be performed and managed from a ground control station.

Commenting on the participation of local engineers in this landmark project, Ahmed Obaid Al Mansoori, director general of EIAST, believes that “developing a base of UAE scientists and engineers is a crucial first step in becoming a regional and global leader in the fields of advanced science and technology.”

The development team aims to create the country's first constellation of satellites and iis already hard at work designing DubaiSat-2 and looking for partners, with a launch planned in 2012.

Established by a Dubai Government decree in 2006, EIAST has more in store with future projects planned in the fields of nanotechnology, alternative energy and astronomy.

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