Cultivating Space Tech On the Persian Gulf

摘要

The anticipated launch of Duba-iSat-2, a 330-kilogram Earth observation satellite, marks an important step in the Emirates Institution for Advanced Science and Technology's (EIAST) effort to bring spacecraft technology and expertise to the United Arab Emirates (UAE). In contrast to EIAST's first Earth observation spacecraft, DubaiSat-1, which South Korea's Satrec Initiative took the lead in developing before its 2009 launch on a Russian Dnepr rocket, EIAST engineers played a more active role in building DubaiSat-2. A team of UAE engineers worked with Satrec Initiative to jointly develop, test and integrate DubaiSat-2, which is scheduled to travel Nov. 21 on a Russian Dnepr rocket from the Yasny launch site in Russia into a circular sun-synchronous orbit 600 kilometers above Earth, said Salem Al Marri, EIAST assistant director general for scientific and technical affairs.