Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre says that it has completed the critical design review of MBZ-SAT
The Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) on Tuesday announced that it has completed the critical design review of MBZ-SAT, the most advanced satellite in the region in the field of high-resolution imagery.
The Dubai-based team will now begin preparations to develop and manufacture the flight model of MBZ-SAT which is scheduled to launch in 2023.
The critical design review (CDR) is the final multi-disciplined technical review to ensure that the satellite can proceed into fabrication, demonstration, and test and can meet stated performance requirements within cost, schedule, and risk.
The final satellite design weighs over 800kg and is one of the largest and most advanced satellites to be developed in the UAE.
MBZ-SAT has been pivotal in supporting the local space industry, with 90 percent of the mechanical structure and 50 percent of the electronic modules being built in the UAE.
MBRSC said it has actively engaged with regional companies in an effort to build a local hub for space-related manufacturers. It has also partnered with local companies to manufacture and supply the components of MBZ-SAT.
Salem AlMarri, director general, MBRSC said: “The successful completion of the critical review design of the MBZ-SAT, marks yet another milestone in our journey towards the launch of the most advanced satellite from the region in 2023.
“We will now focus on the next stages of the mission, which promises to be yet another leap forward for the UAE’s space ambitions.”
MBZ-SAT, which is the second Emirati satellite to be built by a team of Emirati engineers after the KhalifaSat, will be equipped with an automated system for arranging images round-the-clock, ensuring that it provides the highest quality standards of satellite images intended for commercial use globally.
The satellite will improve image capture resolution by more than double compared to the previously launched system. It will also increase the downlink data transmission speed by thrice the current capacity.
The fully automated image scheduling and processing system of MBZ-SAT will also be able to produce more than 10 times the images the centre produces currently.
SOURCE: arabianbusiness.com