Morocco Launches First University Satellites: Milestone in Space Research and Earth Observation

"This project, carried out on August 16 at 7:56 pm, is the result of the collaboration between the university, the National Center for Scientific and Technical Research and the Royal Center for Space Studies and Research," says the University Mohammed V of Rabat in a press release. The two satellites each have "a mass of less than 4 kilograms and dimensions of about 300x100x100 millimeters," the note states, specifying that the first satellite, "UM5-EOSat", is equipped with a camera to monitor the Earth, and the second, "UM5-Ribat", is equipped with a software-defined radio.

The two satellites will carry out "communication missions, including the localization of aircraft (ADS-B) and ships (AIS), as well as the collection of data from ground stations (IoT). In addition, their design is reprogrammable in orbit, and the expertise developed at the University Mohammed V allows modifying or adjusting the functions of the satellites in flight according to needs," it is detailed. "The launch of these two satellites is a major achievement that testifies to the fact that Morocco has committed to training a new generation of researchers in space studies, whether civilian or military," says Abderrahmane Mekkaoui, Moroccan political analyst and military expert.

In a statement to Achkayn, he explains that "these two satellites successfully launched by Morocco from the air base in California aim to monitor and control ships and aircraft, and also contribute significantly to weather forecasting, in addition to determining the areas allowing Morocco to avoid natural disasters such as floods and landslides." The military expert adds that "the objective of these two satellites is civilian and not military: to locate aircraft and ships, help with meteorology, while also playing a role in the study of sea waves and the agricultural field mainly."

Mekkaoui stressed that "these two satellites currently have no military or security role," noting that Morocco "has two other satellites, Mohammed VI "A" and "B", of French manufacture, and soon the "Ofek 13" Israeli satellite, which [...] have military and intelligence roles in protecting the national security of the Kingdom, aiming to cover the entire territory of the Kingdom, particularly at its borders and its confines." However, he specifies, these nanosatellites could be dedicated to "other fields, including the security and military fields."