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[Satellite TODAY Insider 02-16-12] The Emirates Institution for Advanced Science and Technology (EIAST) has signed a MoU with the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) to improve strategic relations between the two organizations. The MoU was announced Feb. 15.
The MoU paves the way for more up-to-date satellite images to be used to show the progress of RTA’s infrastructure work on Dubai’s streets and roads. “The agreement will play a vital role in enhancing the efficiency of our road projects through the provision of high-quality data and satellite images that are periodically updated. Our joint efforts with EIAST will also promote a culture of creativity and innovation as well as better services to the community,” Abdulla Al Madani, the CEO of Corporate Support Services at the RTA said in a statement.
The deal is further emphasis of the importance satellites and satellite technology will play in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), one of the Middle East’s key markets. Last year was a banner year for the space industry in the UAE as Yahsat’s 1A satellite was finally launched. 2012 is also expected to be a key year as Yahsat looks to launch Yahsat 1B and EIAST gets ready to launch its DubaiSat-2 satellite.
The Yahsat 1A satellite is providing satellite communications services for both governmental and commercial customers in the Middle East, Africa, Europe and Southwest Asia. It is equipped with a communications payload featuring 14 active transponders in C-band, 25 Ku BSS transponders and a Ka-band government payload. The system includes gateways in C-, Ku- and Ka-bands, and a large number of ground terminals.
EIAST successfully launched DubaiSat-1, the UAE’s first Earth Observation Satellite in July 2009, and since then the satellite has been transmitting images that had become of great use in several applications. Its DubaiSat-2 satellite is likely to launch in the second half of this year, and the organization is also planning a potential DubaiSat-3 satellite also.
EIAST aims to be one of the most progressive academic institutions around in the space arena, and since the launch of DubaiSat-1 it has gradually been giving more responsibility to students when building satellites. Ahmed Al Mansoori, Director General, EIAST says, “With major projects like DubaiSat, we are giving young people lots of responsibility. We have engineers outside of the institute who are helping the group of students. With DubaiSat-1, I would say students contributed around 30 percent to 50 percent of the project. That is in terms of manufacturing, design etc. With DubaiSat-2, students are expected to be involved in 50 percent to 70 percent of the design and manufacturing of the satellite. The number of engineers working on the DubaiSat program is increasing.”
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