DubaiSat-1: Mission overview, development status and future applications

DubaiSat-1 is an initiative from Emirates Institution for Advanced Science and Technology (EIAST) to start the first Earth observation satellite program in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The satellite was designed and developed by Satrec Initiative a pioneer satellite manufacturing company in South Korea, with a strong participation from EIAST engineers. DubaiSat-1 is a catalyst project and part of an in-depth technology transfer program to convey advanced satellites technology to the UAE. The launch of the satellite is scheduled for July 2009 from Baikonur launch site onboard of Dnepr rocket. DubaiSat-1 will observe the Earth at a Low Earth Orbit (LEO) and generates high resolution optical images at 2.5m panchromatic (Pan) and 5m multispectral (MS) bands. These images will provide a variety of users and decision makers in the UAE with valuable tool for a wide range of applications including infrastructure development, urban planning as well as environment monitoring and protection. DubaiSat-1 images will be also used extensively to promote geosciences and remote sensing research in the region and support different scientific disciplines in private and academic sectors.