Dewa's second nanosatellite launched on SpaceX rocket

Dewa Sat-2 will help further improve Dubai’s utility network

Dewa's second nanosatellite was launched on a SpaceX rocket from California. Screengrab/SpaceX

Dewa's second nanosatellite was launched on Saturday morning on a SpaceX rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.

After several postponements due to bad weather, Falcon 9's launch of the Transporter-7 mission took place shortly before 11am UAE time.

The launch is the seventh dedicated smallsat rideshare mission for SpaceX with 51 payloads on the flight, including CubeSats, MicroSats, hosted payloads, and orbital transfer vehicles carrying spacecraft to be deployed at a later time.

Dewa's 6U nanosatellite — Dewa Sat-2 — comes a year after it launched its first satellite and will help further improve Dubai’s utility network.

The nanosatellite (or cubesat) features a high-resolution camera (4.7 metres) that will be used for Earth observation missions.

It was designed and developed at Dewa's R&D centre, in co-operation with NanoAvionics in Lithuania, and is part of Dewa's Space-D programme that it announced in 2021.

The programme aims to improve operations, maintenance and the planning of its networks by using nanosatellite technology, the Internet of Things and remote sensing technologies.

This involves launching a nanosat constellation that will support Dewa’s primary satellite.

Utility companies like Dewa can use satellite technology to monitor and map their infrastructure as well as track the environmental impact their operations have. The data can also help these companies improve their services.

Dewa is the first utility in the world to launch nanosatellites to improve its operations.

The high-resolution camera on Dewa Sat-2 will provide continuous line-scan imaging in seven spectral bands from approximately 500km orbit.

The satellite is also equipped with infrared equipment to measure greenhouse gases