The National Space Center launches the SEO satellite project to enhance national capabilities

The National Center for Space Science and Technology at the United Arab Emirates University announced the “SEO” satellite project, coinciding with the mission reaching advanced stages of development, as part of the center’s ongoing efforts to implement national space projects in cooperation with the Emirates Space Agency.

The mission contributes to enhancing national capacity building in the space sector through scientific and technical cooperation with international partners from the People’s Republic of China, which contributes to developing Emirati competencies and enhancing national expertise in the fields of space science and engineering. The mission also contributes to supporting sustainable development goals by employing space technologies in the service of development and innovation.

The “SEO” project constitutes a practical model for the National Center for Space Science and Technology’s investment in building national capabilities and enhancing the UAE’s position in developing advanced space technologies.

Through this mission, the Center continues its efforts to qualify Emirati competencies by involving engineers, researchers and students in the various stages of developing and operating the satellite, within an integrated environment that includes ground control facilities, assembly, integration, and space tests.

The project contributes to providing national cadres with advanced practical experiences, which supports the preparation of a specialized generation capable of contributing to the development of the national space sector and enhancing a system based on knowledge and innovation.

The SEO mission aims to develop advanced space technologies, as it represents an ambitious step towards employing space technology in the service of sustainability and future development, by providing data and information that supports environmental protection, natural resource management, and enhancing the efficiency of planning and decision-making.

The mission also highlights the importance of employing modern space technologies to support efforts related to future sustainability and development goals to achieve a long-term positive impact on society and the environment.

Director General of the Emirates Space Agency, Engineer Salem Butti Al Qubaisi, confirmed that the “SEO” mission comes within the UAE’s strategy aimed at expanding national space projects, developing space infrastructure, and strengthening international partnerships, which contributes to consolidating the country’s position in the global space sector.

He pointed out that the mission reflects the UAE’s commitment to developing advanced space technologies, in addition to qualifying a new generation of Emirati researchers and engineers capable of leading the future of the space sector and supporting the process of innovation and sustainable development.

Director of the National Center for Space Science and Technology at UAE University, Dr. Nabil Mohammed Al Bastaki, said that the “SEO” mission represents an extended step in the center’s journey towards developing national space projects that contribute to supporting sustainability and building national capabilities, noting that the project reflects the center’s confidence in young Emirati talent and their ability to lead the future of the space sector.