The Emirates Institution for Advanced Science and Technology, EIAST, has announced the completion of KhalifaSat's design, the first satellite that will be designed and built by Emirati engineers in the U.A.E.
During a meeting of the internal review board, which comprised of system engineers, managers and consultants, EIAST's engineers presented their designs on the different modules and sub-systems of KhalifaSat and discussed the different aspects of the satellite's design concluding the first phase of the project.
EIAST has plans to develop several new technologies to achieve the expectations of the satellite. It has further revealed at the meeting that the full engineering model of the satellite and a mock-up mechanical model are expected to be manufactured in the next phase of designs. The manufacturing of the actual flight model of the satellite will follow, which is expected to be launched into space in 2017.
Yousuf Al Shaibani, Director General, EIAST, said, "KhalifaSat is a milestone for EIAST as well as the U.A.E. It will be an assessment of our capabilities in satellite manufacturing helping us position ourselves as leaders in satellite development and technology regionally and internationally. Detailed Design Review meeting was an occasion to evaluate the progress made so far in the projects related to the Emirati-designed and built satellite. We are delighted that this progress is as per our timeline and results have exceeded expectations." Amer Al Sayegh, Director of the Space Systems Development Department at EIAST and KhalifaSat Project Manager explained, "the team has developed new satellite software which can be used in future satellite projects. We are in the process of finalising the mock-up model of KhalifaSat which will have a bus similar to that of DubiSat-2 but with an improved mechanical structure which will house a more developed camera. The technologies for KhalifaSat were enhanced by 30 percent compared to DubaiSat-2, including a highly sophisticated camera system, which will image at a resolution of 70 cm, more storage capacity, faster download speed, and better computing capabilities," he added.
EIAST was established by the Dubai Government in 2006 to encourage scientific innovation and technological progress in Dubai and in the U.A.E. It also aims to develop the scientific skills and knowledge of Emiratis. It is mainly involved in outer space research and development; satellite manufacturing and systems development; space imaging; and ground station services and support for other satellites.
Source: WAM