Dubai Crown Prince Confirms Launching of First UAE-built Satellite

The UAE space programme plans to build a city on Mars someday, though it also has projects that are much closer to home. One of these is KhalifaSat, the first ever UAE-built satellite made entirely by Emirati engineers, and it’s going to be launched very soon!

The Crown Prince of Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, announced that KhalifaSat will be launched from the Tanegashima Space Centre in Japan on October 29, 2018. He shared the news recently on Twitter:

“KhalifaSat” to be Launched Next Month

The Crown Prince also happens to be the Chairman of the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre as well as General Supervisor of its projects. He described the launching of KhalifaSat as a major step towards accomplishing the UAE’s space strategy, WAM News Agency reported.

“We are proud of the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre, where a team made up entirely of young Emirati engineers have developed the first Emirati satellite, KhalifaSat,” HH Sheikh Hamdan declared. “This is an important milestone for our country, an achievement made possible because our leadership supports Emirati youth and encourages them to excel in the fields of innovation and technological development.”

HH Sheikh Hamdan also attributed the team’s success to the trust and support of President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, along with the Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.

Fast Facts About the Satellite
Did you know? The KhalifaSat:

  • Is the first satellite built entirely by Emirati engineers in the UAE.
  • Is designed to capture detailed, state-of-the-art imagery from space.
  • Will be launched on October 29, 2018 from the Tanegashima Space Centre in Japan.
  • Joins two UAE imaging satellites already orbiting the Earth: DubaiSat-1 and DubaiSat-2.
KhalifaSat is 100 percent made in the UAE by Emirati engineers.
Image Credit: WAM News Agency

Milestones in Space
Aside from the launching of KhalifaSat, the country also celebrates another milestone: UAE’s first astronauts to the International Space Station! HH Sheikh commended the two astronauts — Hazza Al Mansouri and Sultan Al Nayadi — just recently on Twitter:

Congratulations to the UAE for these amazing achievements! We are amazed and proud to be witnessing these breakthroughs. Meanwhile, HH Sheikh Hamdan is set to lead another important event soon — Dubai Fitness Challenge 2018! Let’s all get fit and fab by joining this initiative!