DUBAI: The United Arab Emirates’ first satellite has made its final stop en route to space.
The KhalifaSat observational satellite was flown to South Korea on a converted Emirates Boeing 777 cargo plane on Thursday and is being readied for launch later this year.
The first UAE-designed, manufactured and assembled satellite will produce images of Earth for scientific research and high-tech development.
The project was launched in 2013 by HH Sheikh Mohamed Bin Rashid Al-Maktoum, UAE prime minister and ruler of Dubai.
Salem Al-Marri, deputy head of the Mohamed Bin Rashid Space Center in Dubai, said: “Today we are preparing to launch KhalifaSat into orbit. Emirates SkyCargo worked for three months to ensure the satellite was transported safely, ensuring its high-tech and fragile components were preserved during the journey.”
Staff at Emirates’ cargo division underwent months of training in preparation for KhalifaSat’s flight to South Korea.
