Nayif 1 (FUNcube 5, EO 88, Emirates-OSCAR 88)

Nayif 1 [Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre]

Nayif 1 is the UAE's first 1U CubeSat mission, developed by the Dubai based Emirates Institution for Advanced Science and Technology (EIAST), in partnership with American University of Sharjah (AUS).

The development program aims at investing and developing capabilities of Emirati engineering students in space technologies. A group of Emiratis consisting of seven students from various engineering disciplines at AUS, including computer engineering, electrical engineering and mechanical engineering, have been assigned to the project. Students will go through an intense systems design and testing training and will partake in the program as their Senior Engineering Design project and participate in the design, assembly, integration and testing of the CubeSat. Nayif-1 will carry out a communication mission with development taking place in AUS, EIAST’s facilities and Delft in the Netherlands.

Nayif 1 carries the FUNcube 5 amateur communications payload.

Nayif-1 was originally scheduled to be launched piggy-back on board a Falcon-9 v1.2 rocket by the end of 2015. Due to delays, it was moved to a PSLV-XL launch. A ground station will be built at AUS and operated by Emirati engineering students, responsible for mission planning and operations.

After reaching orbit, Nayif 1 received the designation Emirates OSCAR 88 (EO 88).