UAE satellite Nayif-1 gets Indian launch

Dubai - The launch took place at 7.58am (UAE local time) on Wednesday.

The Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) and the American University of Sharjah (AUS) have announced the successful launch of Nayif-1, the UAE's first nanosatellite, launched into outer space.
The launch took place at 7.58am (UAE local time) on Wednesday. Nayif-1 takes on added importance as an educational project launched by MBRSC in cooperation with AUS with the goal of providing hands-on experience to Emirati engineering students on designing, building, testing and operating nanosatellites.
Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, MBRSC Chairman and general supervisor of all projects of the Centre and its strategic and development plans, said that the large-scale space projects launched by the UAE are a testimony to the leadership's determination to enhance the UAE's contributions towards reviving Arab civilisation, which achieved significant scientific breakthroughs in the past centuries.
Sheikh Hamdan described the successful launch of Nayif-1 as an important step on the road towards implementing the UAE's ambitious space programme. "Yesterday, we saw the launch of one of the most important space projects humanity has ever known, the 'Mars 2117 Project'. This reflects our aim to make the UAE a pioneer in shaping humanity's future and its determination to leave a positive mark on human development with innovative thinking and achieve success.
"With the launch of the new satellite, we are on the right path for achieving new scientific breakthroughs with the efforts of UAE citizens."
He congratulated the team behind the successful launch, and praised the role of the students participating in the project.
MBRSC Director-General Yousuf Al Shaibani said: "The university students who participated in all phases of the space project are a living example of the success of our strategies towards building a knowledge and innovation-based economy, as well as making preparations for the post-oil era."
He affirmed that all space achievements are inspired by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai's wise and clear vision, which aims to make the UAE one of the most competitive countries.
Bilateral ties reach space
The nanosatellite was launched on-board a PSLV-C37 rocket, from Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, India. On-board its rocket, this launch held around 104 satellites, making it historically the highest number of satellites to be launched together. Nayif-1 was the fifth satellite separated from the launch vehicle after the main payload.
Indian Ambassador to the UAE Navdeep Suri expressed happiness at the event, saying it has a special significance for bilateral relations between the countries and for exploration of outer space for peaceful purposes.
The new level of cooperation followed the India visit of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces in February 2016. "I see this as an important milestone in our vibrant relationship. Building a satellite within a university campus in Sharjah is testimony of the ingenuity, vision and technical capacity of the young students," said Suri.
Commenting on the satellite's performance during its first pass, Fatma Lootah, Deputy Project Manager of Nayif-1 at MBRSC, said: "Nayif-1 passed over the ground station at 9.30 am, and we were able to successfully receive the first signal from the satellite and initially check its health and behaviour.
"In its subsequent passes, we will continue to monitor the satellite to understand how it responds to commands in the daytime and in the evening; however it will be shifted later on to the autonomous mode."
Hessa Al Matroushi, Deputy Project Manager of Nayif-1 at MBRSC, said: "Nayif-1 will pass over the ground station around four times a day, twice in the morning and twice in the evening. We'll use the morning passes to send and receive text messages on Amateur Radio frequencies throughout the world. The night passes, on the other hand, are used specifically for sending and receiving messages".
Nayif-1's mission also has several other scientific objectives, such as determining the evolution of the solar cells performance in space during the mission design life.
Nayif-1 CubeSat at a glance
> Launched at - 512km altitude above Earth
> Dimensions - 10x10x11.35 cm3
> Weight - 1.32kg
> Communication footprint - 5,000km
> First signal received - 18 minutes, 32 seconds after reaching orbit
> Ground station for operation and control - Located at AUS
> Project's milestone phases - 1.5 years duration
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• Dubai