His Highness Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Deputy Ruler of Sharjah and President of the University of Sharjah, witnessed the signing of an Agreement of Cooperation (AoC) to implement the Sharjah-Sat 2 Cube Satellite Project, held at the headquarters of the Sharjah Academy for Astronomy, Space Sciences and Technology (SAASST).

The agreement was signed by the SAASST, the Department of Town Planning and Survey, the Sharjah Electricity, Water and Gas Authority, and Sharjah Municipality. Signatories included Saeed Baljiu Al Suwaidi, Chairman of the Sharjah Electricity, Water and Gas Authority; Obaid Saeed Al Tunaiji, Director General of Sharjah Municipality; H.E. Prof. Hamid M.K. Al Naimiy, Director General of the Sharjah Academy for Astronomy, Space Sciences and Technology; and Engineer Nelly Al Shamsi, Director of Support Services at the Department of Town Planning and Survey.

The agreement reflects a strong partnership between government entities and the University of Sharjah’s academic institutions, aimed at implementing projects of significant scientific, environmental, and urban value. The data provided by Sharjah-Sat 2 will support various sectors in decision-making, strategic planning, and scientific research through accurate satellite-based information.

Sharjah-Sat 2 is a six-unit CubeSat measuring 10 by 20 by 30 centimeters. It incorporates five main subsystems—power, communications, attitude determination and control, data processing, and structural framework—along with a primary scientific payload and the capacity to carry an additional secondary one for simultaneous missions. The power system will rely on solar panels and a dedicated battery to store excess energy, ensuring continuous operation in orbit. The main payload will consist of a hyperspectral camera with a resolution of up to five meters. The project will provide high-quality scientific images and data to the supporting and beneficiary institutions. These images will serve applications in urban planning, environmental monitoring, and risk management. They will assist in tracking urban growth, detecting land degradation and desertification, monitoring environmental shifts caused by human activity, identifying oil, gas, or water leaks, and assessing atmospheric pollution. The data will also help in evaluating and mitigating potential risks across the emirate.

Satellite imagery offers a powerful means of observing large-scale changes over time. Unlike ground-based photography, such imagery provides wide-area coverage with high spatial detail and the capacity to transmit images directly to Earth for further analysis.

The signing ceremony was attended alongside His Highness the Deputy Ruler of Sharjah by H.E. Dr Khawla Abdulrahman Al Mulla, Chairperson of the Family Affairs Authority; Engineer Khalid bin Butti Al Muhairi, Chairman of the Department of Town Planning and Survey; Dr Mansour Mohammed bin Nassar, Head of the Legal Department of the Government of Sharjah; and Mohammed Abdullah, Chief Executive Officer of Sharjah Islamic Bank.