A team of Emirati entrepreneurs has launched Ghalib, the UAE’s first satellite to track wildlife. Developed by Emirati company Marshall Intech, the satellite was successfully launched on the SpaceX Falcon-9 rocket at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida.

The satellite entered its orbit, 550km above sea level. Equipped with advanced technologies, Ghalib will allow researchers to track wildlife and bird migration in remote areas of the country and assists in monitoring animals and conservation.

As part of the country’s strategy to empower the private sector, a group of our exceptional Emirati youth has successfully launched the ‘Ghalib’ satellite

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai

The launch was announced by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. “As part of the country’s strategy to empower the private sector, a group of our exceptional Emirati youth has successfully launched the ‘Ghalib’ satellite. It is the first Emirati satellite dedicated to tracking wildlife. I wish all the best to Marshall Intech for its ventures in this vital sector. Sky is the limit of the Emirati youth’s ambitions,” Sheikh Mohammed tweeted from @HHShkMohd, his official Twitter account.

Ghalib’s launch showcases the role young Emirati entrepreneurs are playing in fulfilling the UAE’s space ambitions while positioning the country as a leader in the region’s space sector

Ghalib’s launch showcases the role young Emirati entrepreneurs are playing in fulfilling the UAE’s space ambitions while positioning the country as a leader in the region’s space sector. Marshall Intech is a subsidiary of the UAE’s Bin Ghalib Group. It plans to launch a constellation of six satellites.

The team includes Emirati entrepreneurs specialising in the fields of advanced tech such as electrical and mechanical engineering, software, communication and electronic design

Preparations to launch the first satellite began four years ago, with the Marshall Intech team coming together to develop tracking devices, ground station readiness, models of electronic boards, transmitters and broadcasters. The team includes a group of Emirati entrepreneurs specialised in the fields of advanced technology such as electrical and mechanical engineering, software, communication and electronic design.

Why did the UAE launch Ghalib?

The UAE has a variety of habitats for wildlife including the coast, offshore islands, mangroves, mudflats, salt pans, sand and gravel plains, dunes, mountain slopes, wadis and rocky summits. The terrain supports several species of plants and animals. Researchers physically track and continuously monitor the species. However, it often becomes difficult to track bird migrations in remote areas. Ghalib will help researchers to track wildlife and bird migration in such remote areas of the country.

Does the UAE have a sizeable bird and wildlife population?

The UAE’s efforts to conserve species such as gazelles, houbara bustards, turtles and even rare plants and other living organisms have been incredible. The country is home to over 60 per cent of the total population of Arabian Oryx. A Species Conservation Fund has spent about Dh62 million, benefiting 1,800 projects to protect 1,200 endangered species in over 170 countries since October 2008.

Over 400 species of bird have been recorded in the UAE, with about 90 species breeding regularly in the country while the balance is winter visitors, migrants or vagrants. The country is at the crossroads of two major migratory routes. The UAE is a birdwatcher’s paradise with more than 100 species that are bred in the country. The UAE’s Vision 2021 underscores the importance of the conservation of the rich natural environment of the homeland from the risks of human activities through preventive measures such as protecting fragile ecosystems from urban expansion.

How extensive is the UAE’s space programme?

The UAE has invested an estimated Dh22 billion in the space sector. The ‘Ghalib’ satellite to track wildlife was launched in July, months after the UAE made history as the first Arab nation (fifth in the world) to successfully send a rover to Mars. The UAE is only the second country to ever successfully enter Mars’ orbit on its first try since attempts began in the 1960s.

The country founded its space agency in 2014 after launching satellites in 2009 and 2013 developed jointly with South Korean partners. The UAE launched its first satellite, Dubai Sat-1, in 2009 with the help of South Korea. Today, it has 13 operational satellites in space. In 2018, engineers at the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre in Dubai launched their first 100 per cent Emirati-built satellite KhalifaSat. Falcon Eye 1 became the fourth reconnaissance satellite launched by the UAE in July 2019, bringing the total number to 10 satellites in orbit.

The UAE has set out to establish the first human colony on Mars by the year 2117. It has announced plans to develop and launch a navigation satellite in 2021, followed by the launch of a more advanced version the year after. The UAE has announced a new satellite project that will be 100 per cent Emirati-made. It is expected to be launched in 2023. The MBZ-SAT will be the most advanced commercial satellite in the region for high-resolution imagery. The 3m x 5m satellite will improve image capture resolution by more than double what is possible now.