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A young team of male and female engineers, with an average age of 27 years, is working with perfect accuracy, and without feeling tired, according to the predetermined schedule for the Mohammed bin Zayed satellite project “MBZ-SAT” in the clean rooms at the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Center in the Al Khawaneej area in Dubai . 120 minutes, which "Al Khaleej" spent, interviewing some of the project's engineers, about its latest developments, especially as it is the second Emirati satellite built and fully developed by a team of Emirati engineers, after the "KhalifaSat" satellite, in addition to the tests conducted on it, to ensure its electrical and mechanical systems, In preparation for its launch in the third quarter of next year, the challenges faced by the team when designing the camera for the moon, being larger and more accurate, as its size is equivalent to the size of the entire "Khalifa Sat".
Engineer Amer Al Ghafri, Director of the Aerospace Engineering Department, and Director of the Mohammed bin Zayed Satellite Project “MBZ-SAT” at the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Center revealed that 50% of the second phase of the moon project has been completed, which includes testing electrical and mechanical systems on the model. The qualification is quite similar to the one in the final model.
He said that the project went through three phases, the first of which was the design phase and testing of the experimental model, while work was underway in the second phase, where the team crossed the middle of the road, and the third phase includes building the final model, which will be launched in late 2023.
He added that earlier, the stage of reviewing the final designs of the project had been completed, and the development of the actual systems of the moon had been completed, as the work team had completed a large percentage of the various systems in the project, such as electrical and mechanical systems, control systems and the main camera on the moon, which is expected to be completed by the end of the year. The current satellite, to be installed with the rest of the other systems, to form the final satellite "MBZ-SAT".
He stressed that the project is a qualitative leap in the field of space industry in the country, as the work team has completed the manufacturing of many of the project's systems, to be assembled during the coming period, and the qualifying tests for the final moon, including tests of the moon's ability to withstand launch factors and vibrations of the launch rocket, and the ability to withstand the environment Space, whether radiation or high and low temperatures in outer space, where tests will be conducted in cooperation with international partners due to the presence of specialized laboratories outside the country at the present time, followed by the stage of calibration and examination of the final moon with ground systems, and the preparation of a network of ground stations scattered around the different countries of the world To control and receive images and data sent from the moon, in order to provide them to users inside and outside the country in a faster and more efficient way, by automating all stages and operations at the ground station located in the Al Khawaneej area in Dubai.
Regarding the tests and calibrations with ground stations around the world, he said that they will be completed in the third quarter of next year, so that the moon will be ready for launch in the fourth quarter of 2023.
systems development
Al-Ghafry continued: Some satellite launching missions are new, and are carried out according to international standards, but differ according to each mission, and therefore the MBZ-SAT mission is different from previous missions, and needs to develop new systems in the project, as we discussed in our discussion with a number of From users inside and outside the country, and we saw the need to increase the clarity of satellite images, as the satellite “KhalifaSat” currently provides images with a resolution of 70 cm, but we directed to develop the accuracy of the images that will be captured by the new project to reach better than 50 cm, i.e. double The accuracy of "KhalifaSat" images.
Accuracy and clarity
Al-Ghafri confirmed that the size of the MBZ-SAT camera is the size of the full moon “KhalifaSat”, which made this one of the challenges that faced the work team in developing such a large size, with the required calibrations to ensure the accuracy and clarity of the images.
He pointed out that work is underway to develop the ground station, so that all operations in it are automated, which means that there is no need for the intervention of many human elements, in addition to the availability of the service 24 hours a day, which facilitates the request for satellite images and their access to users automatically and quickly, through Existence of a network of ground stations around the world.
Al-Ghafri pointed out that some systems on the moon, while in space, can be reprogrammed remotely, but the range of control over them is not similar to the presence of the moon on Earth, and therefore the large number of tests we are currently conducting, to ensure that these systems do not fail in the outer space environment.
mechanical model
Al-Ghafry explained that the development and manufacture of the project’s flight model began immediately after the completion of the final design meeting in October of last year 2021, where it was confirmed that all designs were sound, and therefore began to manufacture the final satellite. Estrada » to manufacture the mechanical model of the moon, and follow-up is underway with them in this regard, as well as the manufacture of electrical and electronic systems with our partners.
He said that more than 90% of the mechanical systems are manufactured in the country through our local partners, and as for electrical systems and electronic panels, we are working with them at this stage to increase the percentage to 50%, as the satellite, like any project, needs to focus on the schedule, and from For that, we seek to ensure that our local partners are able to provide manufacturing operations in a timely manner, and it is noticeable that there are new companies expressing their desire to participate in the project, and we have started talking with them to increase the percentage of local manufacturing, and we seek to cooperate with local institutions working in the field of space, such as space laboratories. At Al Ain University for the possibility of carrying out development and manufacturing operations there, as well as discussions with local companies responsible for benefiting from space data, which will be announced soon.
Timetable
On the possibility of accelerating work on the project schedule, Al-Ghafri stressed that despite the team’s extensive experience in working on several previous projects, they are committed to the satellite’s schedule, because there are other projects in the center that engineers are working on at the same time, such as the explorer “Rashid” and the moon "Fay".
launch window
With regard to the launch window of the project, Al-Ghafry explained that the American company “SpaceX” was chosen to be the partner in the launch of the satellite into space, as it owns two stations in Florida and California, and the launch window for the satellite has been determined from 3-6 months, starting in The first of October 2023, however, to determine the exact date of the launch requires coordination with “SpaceX” to discuss the readiness of the moon and choose the most appropriate time.
In turn, Hessa Ali, Senior Engineer in Engineering Project Management, and Deputy Project Manager for MBZ-SAT, explained that the number of the satellite team is about 200 engineers, with an average age of 27 years, including 70 engineers in the Moon Development Department, and 35 engineers in the Operations and Data Processing Department. As well as 10 researchers and 40 specialists and administrators in the department of utilization of actual data.
work hours
She said that the satellite was designed to operate in space between 5-8 years, but it is expected to continue in service for more than 8 years, and the team's experience was gained through working on long projects, starting with DubaiSat-1 and ending with KhalifaSat and the Hope Probe. Some of them have experience of up to 15 years in this field, which contributes to overcoming the difficulties that the team may face.
She stated that the working hours range from 8-12 hours, and it is expected that work will take place around the clock during the launch period within the shift system.
Transfer speed
Regarding the advantages of the MBZ-SAT satellite, she said that the final approved design weighs more than 800 kilograms, and it will improve the accuracy of capturing images by more than double the level provided by previous systems, and will increase the speed of downlink data transmission by three times the current capacity. The fully automated system for image scheduling and processing purposes will be able to send more than 10 times more images than the center currently produces.
She indicated that MBZ-SAT will be the first satellite that will have the ability to monitor a large number of targets, whether natural or man-made, with a higher accuracy than the satellites designated for monitoring purposes. Enhanced artificial intelligence, which also helps analyze and process space images faster.
Great capacity for national companies
Amer Al-Ghafri said that national companies have the ability to develop all mechanical systems within the country by 100%, and there are some technologies that will be rehabilitated through rehabilitation programs within the center in cooperation with local partners, but in general national companies are able to develop all systems used by satellites As needed for different space missions,
He stated that the national factories are able to use different raw materials, and specialized systems such as carbon fibres, titanium, magnesium and others, and they also have advanced devices to conduct tests on mechanical systems, whether vibrations or monitoring cracks within these systems.
50cm is not the best resolution but it’s getting there
Engineer Amer Al Ghafri, Director of the Aerospace Engineering Department, and Director of the Mohammed bin Zayed Satellite Project “MBZ-SAT” at the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Center revealed that 50% of the second phase of the moon project has been completed, which includes testing electrical and mechanical systems on the model. The qualification is quite similar to the one in the final model.
He said that the project went through three phases, the first of which was the design phase and testing of the experimental model, while work was underway in the second phase, where the team crossed the middle of the road, and the third phase includes building the final model, which will be launched in late 2023.
He added that earlier, the stage of reviewing the final designs of the project had been completed, and the development of the actual systems of the moon had been completed, as the work team had completed a large percentage of the various systems in the project, such as electrical and mechanical systems, control systems and the main camera on the moon, which is expected to be completed by the end of the year. The current satellite, to be installed with the rest of the other systems, to form the final satellite "MBZ-SAT".
He stressed that the project is a qualitative leap in the field of space industry in the country, as the work team has completed the manufacturing of many of the project's systems, to be assembled during the coming period, and the qualifying tests for the final moon, including tests of the moon's ability to withstand launch factors and vibrations of the launch rocket, and the ability to withstand the environment Space, whether radiation or high and low temperatures in outer space, where tests will be conducted in cooperation with international partners due to the presence of specialized laboratories outside the country at the present time, followed by the stage of calibration and examination of the final moon with ground systems, and the preparation of a network of ground stations scattered around the different countries of the world To control and receive images and data sent from the moon, in order to provide them to users inside and outside the country in a faster and more efficient way, by automating all stages and operations at the ground station located in the Al Khawaneej area in Dubai.
Regarding the tests and calibrations with ground stations around the world, he said that they will be completed in the third quarter of next year, so that the moon will be ready for launch in the fourth quarter of 2023.
systems development
Al-Ghafry continued: Some satellite launching missions are new, and are carried out according to international standards, but differ according to each mission, and therefore the MBZ-SAT mission is different from previous missions, and needs to develop new systems in the project, as we discussed in our discussion with a number of From users inside and outside the country, and we saw the need to increase the clarity of satellite images, as the satellite “KhalifaSat” currently provides images with a resolution of 70 cm, but we directed to develop the accuracy of the images that will be captured by the new project to reach better than 50 cm, i.e. double The accuracy of "KhalifaSat" images.
Accuracy and clarity
Al-Ghafri confirmed that the size of the MBZ-SAT camera is the size of the full moon “KhalifaSat”, which made this one of the challenges that faced the work team in developing such a large size, with the required calibrations to ensure the accuracy and clarity of the images.
He pointed out that work is underway to develop the ground station, so that all operations in it are automated, which means that there is no need for the intervention of many human elements, in addition to the availability of the service 24 hours a day, which facilitates the request for satellite images and their access to users automatically and quickly, through Existence of a network of ground stations around the world.
Al-Ghafri pointed out that some systems on the moon, while in space, can be reprogrammed remotely, but the range of control over them is not similar to the presence of the moon on Earth, and therefore the large number of tests we are currently conducting, to ensure that these systems do not fail in the outer space environment.
mechanical model
Al-Ghafry explained that the development and manufacture of the project’s flight model began immediately after the completion of the final design meeting in October of last year 2021, where it was confirmed that all designs were sound, and therefore began to manufacture the final satellite. Estrada » to manufacture the mechanical model of the moon, and follow-up is underway with them in this regard, as well as the manufacture of electrical and electronic systems with our partners.
He said that more than 90% of the mechanical systems are manufactured in the country through our local partners, and as for electrical systems and electronic panels, we are working with them at this stage to increase the percentage to 50%, as the satellite, like any project, needs to focus on the schedule, and from For that, we seek to ensure that our local partners are able to provide manufacturing operations in a timely manner, and it is noticeable that there are new companies expressing their desire to participate in the project, and we have started talking with them to increase the percentage of local manufacturing, and we seek to cooperate with local institutions working in the field of space, such as space laboratories. At Al Ain University for the possibility of carrying out development and manufacturing operations there, as well as discussions with local companies responsible for benefiting from space data, which will be announced soon.
Timetable
On the possibility of accelerating work on the project schedule, Al-Ghafri stressed that despite the team’s extensive experience in working on several previous projects, they are committed to the satellite’s schedule, because there are other projects in the center that engineers are working on at the same time, such as the explorer “Rashid” and the moon "Fay".
launch window
With regard to the launch window of the project, Al-Ghafry explained that the American company “SpaceX” was chosen to be the partner in the launch of the satellite into space, as it owns two stations in Florida and California, and the launch window for the satellite has been determined from 3-6 months, starting in The first of October 2023, however, to determine the exact date of the launch requires coordination with “SpaceX” to discuss the readiness of the moon and choose the most appropriate time.
In turn, Hessa Ali, Senior Engineer in Engineering Project Management, and Deputy Project Manager for MBZ-SAT, explained that the number of the satellite team is about 200 engineers, with an average age of 27 years, including 70 engineers in the Moon Development Department, and 35 engineers in the Operations and Data Processing Department. As well as 10 researchers and 40 specialists and administrators in the department of utilization of actual data.
work hours
She said that the satellite was designed to operate in space between 5-8 years, but it is expected to continue in service for more than 8 years, and the team's experience was gained through working on long projects, starting with DubaiSat-1 and ending with KhalifaSat and the Hope Probe. Some of them have experience of up to 15 years in this field, which contributes to overcoming the difficulties that the team may face.
She stated that the working hours range from 8-12 hours, and it is expected that work will take place around the clock during the launch period within the shift system.
Transfer speed
Regarding the advantages of the MBZ-SAT satellite, she said that the final approved design weighs more than 800 kilograms, and it will improve the accuracy of capturing images by more than double the level provided by previous systems, and will increase the speed of downlink data transmission by three times the current capacity. The fully automated system for image scheduling and processing purposes will be able to send more than 10 times more images than the center currently produces.
She indicated that MBZ-SAT will be the first satellite that will have the ability to monitor a large number of targets, whether natural or man-made, with a higher accuracy than the satellites designated for monitoring purposes. Enhanced artificial intelligence, which also helps analyze and process space images faster.
Great capacity for national companies
Amer Al-Ghafri said that national companies have the ability to develop all mechanical systems within the country by 100%, and there are some technologies that will be rehabilitated through rehabilitation programs within the center in cooperation with local partners, but in general national companies are able to develop all systems used by satellites As needed for different space missions,
He stated that the national factories are able to use different raw materials, and specialized systems such as carbon fibres, titanium, magnesium and others, and they also have advanced devices to conduct tests on mechanical systems, whether vibrations or monitoring cracks within these systems.
50cm is not the best resolution but it’s getting there
