The Minister of Transportation & Telecommunications, Chairman of the Board of Directors National Space Science Agency (NSSA), Engineer Kamal bin Ahmed Mohammed, recently made an inspection visit to the Satellite Laboratory at the University of Bahrain, which has been established in cooperation with NSSA.

The Chief Executive Officer of NSSA, Dr. Mohamed Ebrahim Al-Aseeri, and H.E. the Minister inspected the lab’s equipment. They were accompanied by the President of the University of Bahrain, Professor Dr. Riyadh Yousuf Hamza; Dean of the Faculty of Science, Professor Dr. Mohammed Mustafa Al-Helow; Head of the Physical Division, Dr. Hanan Mubarak Al-Buflasa; and a number of officials at NSSA and the University of Bahrain.

On this occasion, H.E. Engineer Kamal bin Ahmed Mohammed, said: “We are pleased today by this visit to the University of Bahrain and for acquainting ourselves closely with the great efforts being exerted for the establishment of the first of its kind unique laboratory at the Kingdom, namely, the Satellite Laboratory, which comes in response to the Royal directives of His Majesty, King Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa, and which we have all witnessed at the opening of the Third Session of the Fifth Legislative Term of the National Assembly.”

The Minister added: “We highly rely on this cooperation with the University to achieve more accomplishments for the Kingdom of Bahrain. This laboratory will be managed by members of NSSA, and will receive the first group of Bahrain’s space team, who will complete their post graduate studies specializing in space science engineering by the end of the current year. They will form the first nucleus of Bahraini experts in the design, construction, and operation of satellites.”

For his part, the President of the University of Bahrain, Professor Dr. Hamza, said, “We are proud to support the Bahrain Government’s efforts in the development of the space sector, by expanding in space sciences, which include physical sciences, mathematics, information technology, and engineering. Hopefully this laboratory will participate in educating the university students about the importance of the space sector, by emphasizing their role in promoting Bahrain’s space science and technology sector.”

Professor Dr. Hamza pointed out that one of the University’s objectives from its close cooperation with NSSA is to move ahead with the construction of a simple ground station for the management and control of satellites and for receiving and processing satellite data. “This will contribute to the development of space science research through the establishment of specialized laboratories and the design and formation of nanosatellites to be fully controlled by NSSA.”

The Chief Executive Officer of NSSA, Dr. Mohamed Ebrahim Al-Aseeri, said: “The cooperation between NSSA and the University of Bahrain emerged with the signing of a memorandum of understanding in 2018 and both entities are highly engaged in collaborations ever since. Many joint activities have been implemented at a national level, while a joint team works on the implementation of a set of specialized studies and research in space applications. There are more projects of cooperation between the two parties, which will be announced in the near future. Such projects will enhance the role of space sciences and technologies in the service of national development and contribution to the formation of a sustainable space sector.” Dr. Al-Aseeri praised the efforts of the University in this regard and added: “The enthusiasm that we found from the University of Bahrain to transform such cooperation into a tangible fact within a record time is deserves praise and pride.”

Dr. Al-Aseeri emphasized that “this laboratory, the first of its kind in the Kingdom of Bahrain, will be run by groups of Bahraini young people who are accustomed to challenge the impossible, make achievements under various circumstances and surpass all kinds of challenges. It is our hope that this laboratory will achieve accomplishments of which we shall all be proud for many years to come.”