The "Dhabi Sat" satellite begins its journey to the International Space Station

The satellite "Abu Sat" begins its journey to the International Space Station

Amr Bayoumi - Abu Dhabi

Khalifa University of Science and Technology, Yahsat Satellite Communications Company (Yahsat) and Northrop Grumman, announced today the launch of "Abu Dhabi Sat", which is the second miniature satellite developed by Khalifa University students in cooperation with university partners, from the Wallops Flight Center in Virginia, USA and on The spacecraft (Signus NG-15) is aboard the International Space Station, while the university has revealed its plans to launch a miniature "one light" satellite in the middle of this year, whose mission will be to measure the ground gamma rays.

In detail, the launch of Abu Dhabi Sat is another achievement in the registry of the UAE, Khalifa University, Yahsat and Northrop Grumman.

The satellite is expected to separate from the Signus NG-15 aerial vehicle after leaving the International Space Station, approximately three months later, and the 2u miniature satellite was developed and tested by 27 graduate students from the Yahsat Space Laboratory at Khalifa University. The "Zebi Sat" measures 20 cm by 10 cm, and weighs 2.1 kg. It uses a high-resolution "12 megapixel" camera based on the Sony IMX 477 sensor and a lens system with a focal length of 50 mm. The camera, using its highest resolution, can take pictures With a spatial resolution of 12.6 meters on the ground from a height of 450 km under ideal conditions, students will use the ultra-high frequency band to send communications to the satellite, while they will use the ultra-high frequency band to receive communications from the satellite.

The goals of Abu DhabiSat:

3 main objectives have been set for the Zabbisat mini-satellite, which include training graduate students to become qualified engineers to be part of the UAE space industry, evaluating the performance of the CubeSat 2U mini satellite in space, in addition to applying direction finding and control algorithms developed by students Postgraduate studies at Khalifa University and validation in space.

Zeb sat mission.

While the tasks of the Zabbisat satellite include 4 basic tasks, verifying the accuracy of the different control algorithms by taking pictures in the direction of orientation using the uploaded digital camera, comparing the captured image with the expected acquisition, and evaluating the new algorithms that students have developed with testing the program as well. Based on the algorithms available in previous studies, as well as the ultimate goal of the task to produce a software library that can be used in future tasks.

The Vice President of the University, Dr. Arif Sultan Al Hammadi, said: “We will continue to develop the national cadres that will be part of the constellation of Emirati engineers and space scientists, pointing out that the launch of Abu Dhabi Sat is another success for the UAE, Khalifa University and its partners, given that it embodies a major and important achievement in the space sector. In the country, and it contributes to preparing and training local manpower through academic institutions in the country,

Al Hammadi said: “This satellite was completely designed and developed by university students and with the support of our partners, and it is another example of Khalifa University’s comprehensive strategy, which is to develop scientists specializing in space sciences and engineers who are moving forward to advance the country in the areas of technological progress, as Abu Dhabi confirms. Sat on the extent of the university’s commitment to developing human capital through specialized academic programs and research centers such as the Khalifa University Center for Space Technology, Innovation and Partner Support.

While the Acting Director of the "Yahsat" Space Lab and Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering, Dr. Firas Salah Jarrar, during the press conference held by Khalifa University and Yahsat Communications Company in cooperation with Northrop Grumman, he explained about the launch of the mini-satellite "AbuSat" in the presence of the work team The supervisor of the project, that work on the program took two continuous years, which is part of the conditions for obtaining a minor for a master’s degree in space technology systems.

"Cubic satellites are able to achieve the necessary tasks such as communication, data transmission and images, and sometimes they produce new technologies that are difficult to experiment with on large satellites, and the period required for its installation, construction and design is less than others," he said, noting that the participation of students in these projects is important for their preparation and training. On how satellites are built in general, as their systems are similar to large satellites with different levels of complexity, in addition to strengthening their skills in dealing with and engineering systems, which makes them able to work in any other field.

For his part, a master's student in engineering systems management, specializing in space technology systems, a member of the communications team, and a participant in the risk management team, Ahmed Al-Bouanain, indicated that the mechanisms of work during the period of the "Covid 19" pandemic were full of challenges that the team could successfully pass by transforming the work mechanisms into meetings Remotely and pre-arrangement of presence in laboratories with preventive measures, pointing out that cooperation between members of the work team was the most important in terms of assessing the risks of the system that each person works on and finding solutions that can be implemented to reduce risks.

Aisha Al-Haram, Muhammad Taha Al-Ansari and Yaqoub Khaled Al-Qassab, members of the specialized team for controlling altitudes, load and computer, explained that the life span of the satellite extends for two years in orbit as it was calculated through special simulation programs, indicating that the zebra Sat had undergone high vibration checks. Which can be exposed during the launch process, in an environment that simulates a space environment with a change of temperature.

They pointed out that “Zabbysat” seeks to evaluate strategies for determining directions and control systems, to do this by taking pictures using a single digital camera on board, indicating that it needs much less energy than others to achieve the targeted directions, and for the algorithms it broadcasts to become a reference that can be used. In the field of satellite missions in the future, and the work team will continue to monitor all incoming signals from the mini satellite "ZebSat" to test its various systems, as well as capture the images it broadcasts.

3 satellites

Khalifa University confirmed that the Khalifa University Center for Space Technology and Innovation continues its pioneering role in developing satellites and supporting other universities, noting that graduate students at the university have designed and constructed the first mini-satellite (MySat-1), tested and operated as part of The MSc in Systems and Space Technologies program was launched in February 2019. MySat-1 contained a coin-sized cellular battery manufactured according to a technology developed at the university, in addition to a (VGA) camera that was integrated into the Yahsat Space Laboratory using components Commercial easy to get.

The university indicated that the satellites manufactured at the center included the MuznSat project, which was developed by students from Khalifa University and the American University in Ras Al Khaimah, and the miniature Light-1 satellite, which is currently being developed at Khalifa University in addition to a team of New York University students in Abu Dhabi, who were selected to participate in the project based on the winning proposal that they submitted in the Emirates Minisat competition organized by Khalifa University and the Emirates Space Agency.

Yahsat

University Khalifa University confirmed that the Yahsat Space Laboratory, which is part of the Khalifa University Center for Space Technology and Innovation, is the first of its kind in the region in terms of its capabilities in designing, creating and testing satellites, small and large, as the laboratory provides a number of specialized facilities high Technology as a platform for future research in the field of space technologies, allowing other institutions to work with the university's faculty on joint projects.

The Khalifa University Center for Space Technology and Innovation was established with the aim of supporting programs related to miniature satellites in the country's universities in general and Khalifa University in particular, as the center seeks to enhance the capabilities that are developed at the university that would support the space sector, in addition to making effective use of the resources that benefit On the state.

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