The UAE University announces the completion of preparations for the launch of the Arab 813 satellite

The United Arab Emirates University announced the completion of preparations for the launch of the Arab Satellite 813, during the last quarter of this year, which the university developed through the National Center for Space Science and Technology.

The project comes within the framework of an innovative educational and research program developed by the university in cooperation with partners specialized in the field of space, with the aim of enhancing the educational and research process and supporting scientific innovation at the university.

The project gives university students and researchers comprehensive practical experience in designing, developing and testing space systems, and using space data in research projects that serve the community.

More than 30 male and female engineers from the National Center for Space Science and Technology at the United Arab Emirates University participated in manufacturing the satellite, along with Arab engineers who underwent extensive training in the fields of development, assembly and testing, which provided students and national cadres with unique learning opportunities and direct applied experience.

The satellite, which was named “813” in reference to the Hijri year that witnessed the founding of the House of Wisdom in Baghdad, weighs about 200 kg and falls within the category of small to medium satellites. It will enter a synchronous solar orbit at an altitude ranging from 550 to 650 kilometers, enabling it to carry out remote sensing tasks with high efficiency.

All stages of the design, assembly, integration, and environmental and functional tests of the satellite took place within the laboratories of the National Center for Space Science and Technology, which confirms the readiness of the university’s research infrastructure to support space projects with international standards, and reflects the ability of national competencies to develop advanced technical solutions within the country.

The satellite features an ultra-resolution spectral imaging payload system, the first of its kind at the local level, capable of capturing more than 200 narrow spectral bands within the visible and infrared spectrum, allowing advanced analysis of natural resources and the environment.

It also includes advanced communications systems with “S-band” for control and “X-band” for transmitting data at high speeds, using locally developed antennas.

At the operational level, the National Center for Space Science and Technology developed an integrated operational system to manage satellite operations, and completed communication tests with the ground station on the university campus in the Al Ain region, where data will be received, processed, and transformed into scientific maps and indicators available to researchers and university students.

The project also supports applied research in the fields of agriculture, natural resource management, and environmental monitoring, through the “HyperX” platform developed at the center using machine learning techniques to transform space data into practical tools that support decision makers and advance scientific research at the university.

This project reflects the UAE University’s commitment to its role as a leading academic and research institution in the region, and its emphasis on employing advanced space projects as educational platforms that enhance students’ competencies and enable them to contribute to the development of innovative scientific and technical solutions.