The Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre has confirmed that PHI 1, the first modular satellite platform under the Payload Hosting Initiative, is ready for launch in a milestone that strengthens the UAE’s role in widening international access to space.
The satellite is scheduled to lift off on 19 November 2025 aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. Built in Dubai in partnership with the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs, PHI 1 carries payloads from Bahrain, Nepal, the UAE and the Sharjah Academy for Astronomy, Space Sciences and Technology.
PHI 1 is designed as a 12U CubeSat that allows countries and institutions to test emerging technologies in orbit. Weighing up to 20 kilograms with a planned one year operational life, it will support technology demonstrations that contribute to the growth of small satellite systems and space based research.
Bahrain’s AMAN payload will test encryption protocols for secure satellite communication. Nepal’s LoRa Satellite System will study how LoRa technology performs in space and offer young engineers practical experience. MBRSC’s video camera will capture high definition images for technology verification and educational use. A student built PCB from SAAST will measure temperature and orientation as part of a hands on learning initiative.
The project was developed entirely at MBRSC’s Dubai facilities, where all payloads were integrated and tested before mission deployment. Once in low Earth orbit at around 500 kilometres altitude, PHI 1 will transmit data to the Centre’s Ground Station and Mission Control for analysis and distribution.
The mission underscores the UAE’s growing influence in building an inclusive global space ecosystem that promotes knowledge sharing, international cooperation and capacity building across emerging space nations.
News Source: Dubai Media Office
