New launch date for UAE environment satellite on Russian rocket set for Sunday

AFP news agency says the launch was put off by a day after a voltage surge was detected in rocket

An artist's rendition of the UAE's DMSat-1 nanosatellite. It will be launched into space on Saturday on-board a Russian rocket. Courtesy: Dubai Municipality

The launch of a miniature UAE satellite that will track harmful emissions, monitor the environment and measure air quality has been postponed until Sunday morning.

It will now take off at 10.07am UAE time on March 21.

Its departure was put back a day after a voltage surge was detected in the Russian carrier rocket, said AFP news agency.

Data from the DMSat-1 satellite will be used to build a space database to combat climate change.

A Soyuz 2.1a rocket will carry the satellite when it launches from the Baikonur Cosmodrome, in southern Kazakhstan.

The rocket will carry the 15-kilogram nanosatellite into low-Earth orbit at an altitude of 550 kilometres, the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre said.

Dmitry Rogozin, Russia’s space agency chief, told RIA Novosti state news agency that they “decided not to take a risk” after a surge in voltage was pinpointed.

Dubai Municipality and the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre signed an agreement in 2016 to develop the nanosat.

"The satellite will have scientific instruments on board that will detect air pollution, monitor greenhouse gases – mainly methane, carbon dioxide – and the concentration of water in the air," said Adnan Al Rais, senior director of the remote sensing department and DMSat-1 programme director at MBRSC, in a video released on Twitter.

The satellite is among small payloads from 18 countries, including Saudi Arabia and Tunisia, that will be delivered into space by the rocket.

The main payload is South Korea’s CAS500-1 spacecraft.

On reaching orbit, DMSat-1 will provide data that will add to the development of a map of air quality in the UAE.

Mr Al Rais said the satellite will carry a polarimeter to check air pollution and spectrometers to identify harmful emissions.

Teams on the ground at MBRSC will receive signals, analyse data and conduct safety checks on the satellite.

"The team will look for advanced solutions and analysis tools using AI and deep-learning techniques to receive the data, process the data and generate the value-added products that we will be providing to Dubai Municipality," Mr Al Rais said.

“Data will be used to build a space database that will be utilised for environment studies research and sustainable urban planning,” said Alia Al Harmoudi, director of Dubai Municipality’s environment department.

“The data will also be used for systematic futuristic planning to ensure a better future for the coming generation.

"It will also strengthen the leading role of the UAE globally in the space sector, environment protection, combating climate change," she said.