Emirati engineering students from the American University of Sharjah have been working on a nano-satellite and it's finally ready for lift-off!
The nano-satellite Nayif-1 was designed with the help of engineers and specialists from the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Center, providing students with just the right dose of hands-on experience. The satellite has passed all the necessary tests and will be launching in the fourth quarter of this year aboard SpaceX’s Falcon 9 Rocket.
“The Emirati students possess the skills and capabilities to design and build a CubeSat as a result of a knowledge-transfer strategy and cooperation between academic and professional institutions that are launching real space projects, enabling students to see the product of their work as a reality in space," Yousuf Al Shaibani, director general of the center said, according to The National .
What makes the satellite so special is the fact that it has been programmed to transfer messages in Arabic!
The satellite is about 10 cubic centimeters and weighs about 1 kilogram.
“This is a great achievement and a source of pride for all of us,” added Dr Björn Kjerfve, chancellor of AUS. “Satellite technologies are destined to become an important part of the future of the country and we are pleased to see our students and faculty play their due role in making it happen."