A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carries Bahrain's Al Munther nanosatellite into orbit, along with other international payloads, on Saturday. AFP
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carries Bahrain's Al Munther nanosatellite into orbit, along with other international payloads, on Saturday. AFP
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carries Bahrain's Al Munther nanosatellite into orbit, along with other international payloads, on Saturday. AFP
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carries Bahrain's Al Munther nanosatellite into orbit, along with other international payloads, on Saturday. AFP

Bahrain’s Al Munther satellite: How the island nation is building its future in space


Sarwat Nasir
  • English
  • Arabic

Bahrain’s first domestically built satellite is only another step towards bigger goals the kingdom has in the space sector, engineers from the country’s space agency have told The National.

The smallest nation in the GCC, with a population of 1.6 million, Bahrain launched a 3.2kg nanosatellite, called Al Munther, on a SpaceX rocket that lifted off from California on Saturday. It is the latest in a series of achievements for the wider region’s space sector, led by the UAE, including the development of advanced Earth-observation satellites; the launch of astronauts into space; partnerships with Nasa on a Moon-orbiting station; and the successful placement of a probe around Mars.

Ali Al Mahmood, head of satellite operations at Bahrain’s National Space Science Agency (NSSA), hopes the kingdom will build larger satellites in the coming years. “It is really exciting to see the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman and us entering the space race,” he said.

“The US, Russia and China have been developing satellites for a long time, so to see Arab countries getting involved is exciting. It’s hard to see what the future will be as we are still celebrating our first Bahraini satellite, but we are really excited to see bigger satellites and to have collaboration with the UAE again and Saudi Arabia. Hopefully, in 10 to 20 years, we’ll be an established country in the sector.”

Al Munther will be used for environmental monitoring and disaster response efforts, and is equipped with artificial intelligence-powered image processing, cybersecurity features and radio broadcast capabilities. Developing the nanosatellite was made possible because of the experience gained by engineers during a previous satellite project that Bahrain and the UAE carried out together in 2022.

The two nations developed the Light-1 nanosatellite, which has enhanced the study of charged particles above thunderstorms that release harmful levels of radiation.

Marwan Almeer, a senior engineer at Bahrain's space agency, told The National that the radio technology on the satellite will broadcast the national anthem and a message by King Hamad. “Some of the hands-on experience we received from this was the integration and assembly of the satellite,” he said.

Bahrain’s first step into space

Mr Al Mahmood said one of the most important goals of the current project is to develop local expertise. “It will also be inspiring and motivational for young adults to engage in STEM (science, tech, engineers and maths) fields,” he said.

For Mr Al Mahmood, the journey to leading Bahrain’s first satellite mission began with a passion for space exploration. “I graduated from the University of Bahrain as a mechanical engineer,” he said. “Right after enrolling in NSSA, I was sent to Khalifa University to study for my master’s in engineering systems and management.

“During that time I learnt the foundations of space design and operations. We also worked on the Light-1 satellite then.”

The Light-1 nanosatellite was developed by Bahrain and the UAE. In this image, it is seen being released into orbit by Japan space agency's Kibo robotic arm in 2023. Photo: JAXA
The Light-1 nanosatellite was developed by Bahrain and the UAE. In this image, it is seen being released into orbit by Japan space agency's Kibo robotic arm in 2023. Photo: JAXA

Regional and global collaboration

Bahrain is already forming international partnerships, including on China's Chang'e-7 robotic mission to the Moon. The Chang’e-7 mission, scheduled for late 2026, aims to search for water ice and other resources at the lunar south pole. Chang’e-8, meanwhile, is expected to test in situ resource utilisation technologies, which could pave the way for future human settlement on the Moon.

Bahrain has partnered with Egypt to develop a hyperspectral camera payload, called LunaHcam, for the Chang'e-7 mission. The technology can accurately analyse the chemical make-up of the Moon’s surface, helping scientists learn more about its composition and find the best locations for future landings and resource collection. China has been expanding its space diplomacy by offering emerging nations an alternative to western-led programmes such as Nasa's.

Other Gulf countries are also expanding their activities in the space sector. Oman is developing a commercial spaceport. It will be carrying out five test launches this year and hopes operations at the site will begin before the end of this decade.

Kuwait also sent a nanosatellite, the Kuwait Sat-1, into space in 2023 aboard a SpaceX rocket. Engineers from the country are now developing a rocket that they hope to test launch from the Omani spaceport this year. Saudi Arabia launched two citizens, including the first Arab woman, to the International Space Station in 2023.

Test series fixtures

(All matches start at 2pm UAE)

1st Test Lord's, London from Thursday to Monday

2nd Test Nottingham from July 14-18

3rd Test The Oval, London from July 27-31

4th Test Manchester from August 4-8

Financial considerations before buying a property

Buyers should try to pay as much in cash as possible for a property, limiting the mortgage value to as little as they can afford. This means they not only pay less in interest but their monthly costs are also reduced. Ideally, the monthly mortgage payment should not exceed 20 per cent of the purchaser’s total household income, says Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching.

“If it’s a rental property, plan for the property to have periods when it does not have a tenant. Ensure you have enough cash set aside to pay the mortgage and other costs during these periods, ideally at least six months,” she says. 

Also, shop around for the best mortgage interest rate. Understand the terms and conditions, especially what happens after any introductory periods, Ms Glynn adds.

Using a good mortgage broker is worth the investment to obtain the best rate available for a buyer’s needs and circumstances. A good mortgage broker will help the buyer understand the terms and conditions of the mortgage and make the purchasing process efficient and easier. 

Famous left-handers

- Marie Curie

- Jimi Hendrix

- Leonardo Di Vinci

- David Bowie

- Paul McCartney

- Albert Einstein

- Jack the Ripper

- Barack Obama

- Helen Keller

- Joan of Arc

NBA Finals so far

(Toronto lead 3-1 in best-of-seven series_

Game 1 Raptors 118 Warriors 109

Game 2 Raptors 104 Warriors 109

Game 3 Warriors 109 Raptors 123

Game 4 Warriors 92 Raptors 105

SANCTIONED
  • Kirill Shamalov, Russia's youngest billionaire and previously married to Putin's daughter Katarina
  • Petr Fradkov, head of recently sanctioned Promsvyazbank and son of former head of Russian Foreign Intelligence, the FSB. 
  • Denis Bortnikov, Deputy President of Russia's largest bank VTB. He is the son of Alexander Bortnikov, head of the FSB which was responsible for the poisoning of political activist Alexey Navalny in August 2020 with banned chemical agent novichok.  
  • Yury Slyusar, director of United Aircraft Corporation, a major aircraft manufacturer for the Russian military.
  • Elena Aleksandrovna Georgieva, chair of the board of Novikombank, a state-owned defence conglomerate.
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
  • Priority access to new homes from participating developers
  • Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
  • Flexible payment plans from developers
  • Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
  • DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Living in...

This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.

The Settlers

Director: Louis Theroux

Starring: Daniella Weiss, Ari Abramowitz

Rating: 5/5

if you go

The flights

Emirates fly direct from Dubai to Houston, Texas, where United have direct flights to Managua. Alternatively, from October, Iberia will offer connections from Madrid, which can be reached by both Etihad from Abu Dhabi and Emirates from Dubai.

The trip

Geodyssey’s (Geodyssey.co.uk) 15-night Nicaragua Odyssey visits the colonial cities of Leon and Granada, lively country villages, the lake island of Ometepe and a stunning array of landscapes, with wildlife, history, creative crafts and more. From Dh18,500 per person, based on two sharing, including transfers and tours but excluding international flights. For more information, visit visitnicaragua.us.

What is Reform?

Reform is a right-wing, populist party led by Nigel Farage, a former MEP who won a seat in the House of Commons last year at his eighth attempt and a prominent figure in the campaign for the UK to leave the European Union.

It was founded in 2018 and originally called the Brexit Party.

Many of its members previously belonged to UKIP or the mainstream Conservatives.

After Brexit took place, the party focused on the reformation of British democracy.

Former Tory deputy chairman Lee Anderson became its first MP after defecting in March 2024.

The party gained support from Elon Musk, and had hoped the tech billionaire would make a £100m donation. However, Mr Musk changed his mind and called for Mr Farage to step down as leader in a row involving the US tycoon's support for far-right figurehead Tommy Robinson who is in prison for contempt of court.

UAE central contracts

Full time contracts

Rohan Mustafa, Ahmed Raza, Mohammed Usman, Chirag Suri, Mohammed Boota, Sultan Ahmed, Zahoor Khan, Junaid Siddique, Waheed Ahmed, Zawar Farid

Part time contracts

Aryan Lakra, Ansh Tandon, Karthik Meiyappan, Rahul Bhatia, Alishan Sharafu, CP Rizwaan, Basil Hameed, Matiullah, Fahad Nawaz, Sanchit Sharma

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Real estate tokenisation project

Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.

The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.

Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.

Schedule for Asia Cup

Sept 15: Bangladesh v Sri Lanka (Dubai)

Sept 16: Pakistan v Qualifier (Dubai)

Sept 17: Sri Lanka v Afghanistan (Abu Dhabi)

Sept 18: India v Qualifier (Dubai)

Sept 19: India v Pakistan (Dubai)

Sept 20: Bangladesh v Afghanistan (Abu Dhabi) Super Four

Sept 21: Group A Winner v Group B Runner-up (Dubai) 

Sept 21: Group B Winner v Group A Runner-up (Abu Dhabi)

Sept 23: Group A Winner v Group A Runner-up (Dubai)

Sept 23: Group B Winner v Group B Runner-up (Abu Dhabi)

Sept 25: Group A Winner v Group B Winner (Dubai)

Sept 26: Group A Runner-up v Group B Runner-up (Abu Dhabi)

Sept 28: Final (Dubai)

MATCH INFO

Everton v Tottenham, Sunday, 8.30pm (UAE)

Match is live on BeIN Sports

SUNDAY'S ABU DHABI T10 MATCHES

Northern Warriors v Team Abu Dhabi, 3.30pm
Bangla Tigers v Karnataka Tuskers, 5.45pm
Qalandars v Maratha Arabians, 8pm

Punchy appearance

Roars of support buoyed Mr Johnson in an extremely confident and combative appearance

Ferrari 12Cilindri specs

Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12

Power: 819hp

Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm

Price: From Dh1,700,000

Available: Now

MATCH INFO

What: India v Afghanistan, first Test
When: Starts Thursday
Where: M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengalaru

BMW M5 specs

Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor

Power: 727hp

Torque: 1,000Nm

Transmission: 8-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh650,000

Updated: March 18, 2025, 3:56 AM`