Dubai Municipality and the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Center are preparing to launch the satellite DMSat 1.
The satellite will be launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.
The rocket will be launched at 9:07 am Moscow time (10:07 am UAE time). The satellite is expected to separate from the launch vehicle into its orbit at 2:20 pm (UAE Time), and send its first signal at 3:00 pm (UAE Time).
Using state-of-the-art space technologies, DMSat-1 will monitor, collect and analyse environmental data as well as measure air pollutants and greenhouse gases. The environmental satellite will also help create maps of the concentration and distribution of greenhouse gases in Dubai and the UAE, and study seasonal changes in the presence of these gases.
The project comes within the framework of the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to maximise the benefit from the advanced applications of the space industry in various fields, and build on the distinguished global position that Dubai and the UAE have reached in this regard.
The project team includes 30 Emirati engineers, whose role is to determine the needs of the Dubai Municipality and the technical characteristics of the satellite, as it has conducted numerous studies to determine the type, size and features of the devices on board.
Dawoud AlHajri, Director-General of Dubai Municipality, said that essential data provided by the DMSat-1 satellite will enable Dubai Municipality to respond to global environmental changes, identify steps to combat climate change and develop long-term environmental plans.
It will also help both sides environmental studies deliver tangible results by promoting academic research, boosting ecological monitoring and contributing to upcoming technological ventures.
Yousuf Hamad AlShaibani, Director-General of MBRSC, said, “The emergence of new capabilities and competencies is helping the country expand its expertise in using space technology to provide solutions, develop different sectors and harness new horizons in this field. Local institutions are increasingly interested in the space sector and in utilising advanced scientific methods to meet challenges. The launch of the DMSat-1 satellite supports the UAE’s aspirations in this field.”
The launch of the satellite strengthens the UAE’s implementation of the Paris Climate Agreement, which requires the country to generate data on greenhouse gas emissions and build national capacities to study global warming.
