
The UAE8217;s first remote-sensing earth observation satellite, DubaiSat 1, is ready for launch later this year, the country8217;s top science institute announced in Dubai on Tuesday.
The satellite will provide the UAE with its first dedicated 8220;eye in the sky8221; and will be launched onboard by a Russian rocket through the Moscow-based International Space Company, Kosmotras, the Emirates Institute for Advanced Science and Technology EIAST said in Dubai.
DubaiSat 1 has been developed by SatrecI in South Korea and EIAST engineers participated in its development. 8220;It will be one of the most advanced small size satellite of its kind and not only this but the UAE team which participated in its development was also the highlight of the project,8221; Director General of EIAST Ahmed Obaid Al Mansoori said.
The development team of DubaiSat-1 has already started working on finalising designs for DubaiSat-2 and strategic partners for the project are also being selected, Mansoori said. He added that the new satellite8217;s planned launch is 2012.