The Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) today (Jan 14) announced that MBZ-SAT, the most advanced satellite in the region, is scheduled to launch tonight.

The launch is scheduled for a 27-minute window opening at 10:49 pm (UAE time) from Space Launch Complex 4E (SLC-4E) at the Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, US aboard SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket.

The date and time are subject to change depending on weather and other operational conditions. If required, there is a back opportunity on Wednesday, 15 January at the same time.

The centre had earlier announced that the MBZ-SAT team had completed final tests at the SpaceX facilities, US, with the satellite integrated on to the Falcon 9 rocket.

The satellite, named in honour of HH Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, was announced by HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai in 2020 and was officially approved for launch by HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defence, and President of MBRSC, earlier last year.

MBZ-SAT, fully developed by Emirati engineers at MBRSC, represents a milestone in the UAE's space exploration journey, showcasing cutting-edge Earth observation capabilities. With a total mass of 750 kg, and dimensions of 3m x 5m, that satellite has twice the imaging accuracy of its predecessors, ten times more imagery, and rapid data delivery within two hours. Equipped with advanced electric propulsion, precise navigation, and a high-resolution camera, it can deliver precision in imaging locations, which supports applications like environmental monitoring, infrastructure management, and disaster relief. The satellite’s development, in collaboration with UAE-based companies has also driven economic growth and knowledge transfer, strengthening the nation's aerospace ecosystem and global competitiveness in space technology.

Once operational in low Earth orbit, MBZ-SAT will be managed from the Mission Control Centre at MBRSC, with teams monitoring its operations and analysing data transmitted back to Earth.

You can watch the live coverage of the mission beginning at 9:30 pm (UAE time) on the MBRSC website at https://live.mbrsc.ae     

-TradeArabia News Service