The State of Qatar proudly celebrates a historic achievement in its national space journey with the successful launch of QUbeSat-1, Qatar University’s first nanosatellite, which was sent to orbit from Russia. This remarkable milestone reflects Qatar’s growing commitment to science, technology, and national capacity building in the space sector.
QUbeSat-1, a 1U CubeSat, was designed, developed, and built by a multidisciplinary team of Qatar University researchers, faculty, and students, marking a significant leap in hands-on education and applied research. The project embodies years of sustained effort, building on student projects and research infrastructure developed since 2012 and further strengthened through competitive research funding.
The satellite is equipped to support Earth observation with imaging capabilities and includes systems for satellite communications and ground station interfacing. It also serves as a practical, real-world engineering and operations platform, giving students and faculty direct experience in spacecraft design, testing, and mission operations. Qatar University also operates the only academic nanosatellite ground station in the country to support this mission.
This achievement was made possible through strong partnerships and strategic collaboration. In particular, Es’hailSat provided vital support, including funding for manufacturing, testing, and launch phases under a dedicated agreement, reinforcing the link between national industry and academic innovation.
