DubaiSat-1, the first remote sensing satellite developed by a UAE entity - the Emirates Institution for Advanced Science & Technology (EIAST), has been shipped from its development base in South Korea to the launch pad in Kazakhstan.

Scheduled for a July 25 take-off in Baikonour in Kazakhstan, DubaiSat-1 is a stepping stone in the UAE’s attempt to create a sound infrastructure that enables the collection of space and earth observation data.

“A joint UAE-Korean team is currently working on the testing process for all systems and equipments, which will take one week, before installing them in the launch vehicle,” said Ahmed Al Mansoori, director general and vice chair of the board of directors, EIAST.

Images from DubaiSat-1 can be used for many applications such as urban development, scientific research, telecommunications, transportation, civil engineering & constructions, mapping and GIS (geographic information systems).

The launch of DubaiSat-1 consists of three segments; space, ground and actual launch. The ground segment comprises mission control station, image receiving and processing station, and antenna and RF subsystem.

EIAST is focused on research in four areas: observation and fog forecast;  use of satellite pictures in predicting sand storms; quality of water in the Gulf region - especially the effect of waste distillation in environment and marine life surrounding the oceans existing in the UAE; and ways to improve the clarity of satellite pictures. – TradeArabia News Service