SAASST reviews progress on Sharjah-Sat-2

The meeting, held at the academy’s headquarters, was presided over by His Excellency Professor Hamid Majoul Al Nuaimi, the Academy’s Director, and brought together engineering and technical teams from several collaborating entities.

Prof. Al Nuaimi emphasised that Sharjah-Sat-2 represents a continuation of Sharjah’s expanding role in space sciences and astronomy, inspired by the vision of His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah.

He described the mission as a cornerstone project designed to cement the emirate’s status as a regional hub for science and technology. The satellite, he said, will provide advanced remote sensing capabilities, delivering high-resolution data that supports critical sectors across Sharjah, from urban planning to environmental monitoring.

He further explained that the project will serve several key fields. For urban development, the satellite will help monitor growth patterns, changes in land use, and the creation of updated maps. In environmental science, it will track desertification, ecological shifts, and oil spills. In disaster management, it will enable continuous monitoring of risks, supplying authorities with timely data to bolster emergency response and decision-making.

The meeting also examined the latest technical updates on the progress of key subsystems, from development phases to integration strategies with institutions such as the Department of Planning and Survey, Sharjah Electricity, Water and Gas Authority, and Sharjah Municipality. Discussions highlighted how the satellite’s imaging and data will play a decisive role in supporting strategic decision-making and future planning across the emirate, alongside the scientific experiments to be conducted in orbit.

Sharjah-Sat-2 is a CubeSat consisting of six modular units measuring 10×20×30 centimeters. It incorporates five main subsystems: a power system based on solar panels and a rechargeable battery, a communications system to regulate data transmission, an attitude control and navigation system, a data processing unit, and a structural frame. The satellite will also carry a hyperspectral camera with a resolution of up to 5 meters, capable of delivering precise scientific data and satellite imagery.