Satellite will provide high resolution images each month, highlighting project’s progress
Dubai, December 20, 2012: DubaiSat-1, the UAE-owned and operated earth observation satellite, has relayed a high-quality image of the area in Dubai that will be developed into the recently announced Mohammed Bin Rashid City. The satellite, which was launched by the Emirates Institution for Advanced Science and Technology (EIAST), will monitor the MBR City project and provide images every month to highlight the project’s progress.
The high-resolution images relayed by DubaiSat-1 are a valuable resource for infrastructure planning and development across the country. These images provide spatial information essential to decision-making on urban and rural planning, transport and utilities development, mapping and environmental conservation initiatives. EIAST, as part of its mandate of conducting research using satellite data, has been mapping some of the major construction projects in Dubai.
The satellite images also complement existing Geographic Information System (GIS) databases and enable more efficient monitoring of environmental changes and natural hazards in addition to identifying water quality in the Gulf.
“DubaiSat-1 is a key element in the development process taking place in Dubai. The satellite highlights the commitment of EIAST to create a knowledge-based economy by leveraging satellite technology” said Salem Al Marri, Head of Marketing and International Affairs at EIAST
MBR City, announced in November this year, will feature world-class leisure and retail facilities and provide an integrated environment for the development of entrepreneurship and innovation. The landmark project will be located between Emirates Road, Al Khail Road and Sheikh Zayed Road.
DubaiSat-1 was a joint project between the UAE and South Korea, developed with a focus on knowledge transfer to the UAE team that participated in building the satellite. EIAST had launched DubaiSat-1 in July 2009, and since then the satellite has been transmitting images that are of great value in several areas.
EIAST is currently working on the final stages of DubaiSat-2, a joint development programme with the Satrec Initiative of South Korea. Sixteen UAE engineers, currently stationed in South Korea, have been working on the design, development, testing and manufacturing of the satellite. The participation of UAE engineers in the project has increased by 100 per cent compared to DubaiSat-1 and it is hoped DubaiSat-2 will take EIAST to the next level in space research.
About The Emirates Institution for Advanced Science & Technology (EIAST):
The Emirates Institution for Advanced Science and Technology (EIAST) is a Dubai Government Department established in 2006 to promote scientific innovation and advanced technology in the UAE.
EIAST’s primary roles are to promote the culture of advanced scientific research and technology innovation in Dubai and the UAE, enhance and build an internationally competitive base for human skills development, position Dubai and the UAE as a science and technology development hub among advanced nations, and establish international collaborative links and joint projects with industry and research organizations.
EIAST is conducting research using satellite data in many areas to monitor various environmental changes, and manage natural hazards, in addition to identifying the quality of water in the Gulf region
- especially the effect of waste distillation on the environment and marine life existing in the oceans surrounding the UAE. In addition to studying ways to improve the clarity of satellite pictures, EIAST is researching change detection on land and sea as well as image algorithms and quality enhancement.
EIAST provides services and programmes at all local, regional and international levels, and is also cooperating with several bodies and international space programmes.
EIAST is closely working with UAE universities on different educational areas, such as resolution enhancement, quality improvement and detection algorithms for different phenomena in images.
For more information, please visit www.eiast.ae.
