UAE - Mubasher: The UAE successfully launched on Monday its first environmental nanosatellite, MeznSat, aboard the Russian Soyuz-2 rocket from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome in Russia, according to the UAE Space Agency (UAESA).
Developed by a team of 30 students from Khalifa University (KU) and the American University of Ras Al Khaima (AURAK), MeznSat lifted off at 15:20 UAE time to be carried to a low Earth orbit altitude of 575 km from Plesetsk.
The nanosatellite will study the levels of methane and carbon dioxide to detect the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) concentrations in the atmosphere by using a shortwave infrared spectrometer.
The students will monitor, process, and analyse from the primary ground station in Yahsat Space Lab at Khalifa University and the secondary ground station in AURAK.
The Director General of UAESA, Mohammed Nasser Al Ahbabi, said: "These projects seek to develop national capabilities and enhance scientific research in universities, bringing up a new generation of Emirati engineers ready to join in the space sector."
The Executive Vice-President of Khalifa University of Science and Technology, Arif Sultan Al Hammadi, remarked: "We plan to develop three more nanosatellites in the future. These achievements showcase Khalifa University's dedication to enhancing innovation in sectors that are strategic to the UAE."
