MANAMA, March 15 (Xinhua) -- Bahrain's first homegrown satellite, "Al Munther," was launched into space on Saturday aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, United States, Bahrain's National Space Science Agency (NSSA) confirmed.
The satellite, developed by NSSA, was launched as part of the Transporter-13 mission -- a SpaceX dedicated rideshare mission in which multiple small satellites from various organizations are launched together aboard a single rocket, according to NSSA.
"Al Munther" was successfully launched at 9:39 a.m. Bahrain time (0639 GMT) on Saturday and deployed into its designated orbit at an altitude of 550 km above sea level. The satellite will now undergo a series of orbital tests to ensure its operational readiness before transitioning to full-scale operations.
Equipped with an artificial intelligence system capable of real-time image analysis, the satellite's mission is to capture images of Bahrain and its territorial waters.
Mohammed Ibrahim Al-Aseeri, chief executive officer of NSSA, noted that the successful launch of "Al Munther" represents "an unprecedented milestone" for Bahrain in the field of space science.
He added that the project had offered a unique opportunity for a team of young Bahraini engineers to gain hands-on experience in developing advanced space systems.
In March 2023, Bahrain announced its first homegrown satellite would be named "Al Munther," following the successful launch of the kingdom's first satellite Light 1 in December 2021. ■
