The Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) launched the 2015 edition of the Remote Sensing Applications Competition (RSAC), which aims to promote scientific research and applications that use satellite images acquired by DubaiSat-2. The competition is open to governmental sectors and educational institutes including schools, universities and research institutes in the UAE. The announcement of the second edition of RSAC was announced during the UAE Innovation Week, launched by Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE vice president and prime minister and ruler of Dubai, as one of the most important events in the UAE for the year 2015, in line with the directive of Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, president of the UAE, to mark 2015 as the "Year of Innovation". The competition aims to urge various sectors, such as education, research and development, to make use of the information and data collected from DubaiSat-2 satellite images in multiple fields and areas such as topography, geology, vegetation, agriculture, weather, natural and non-natural disasters, as well as in reducing pollution, preventing floods, anticipating landslides and earthquakes, etc. Yousuf Al Shaibani, director general, MBRSC said: "RSAC-2015 reflects our capability in harnessing technology and satellite applications and implementing them in development, scientific and environmental research, especially as the competition gives students and specialists the opportunity to raise new ideas and recommend scientific projects based on data from the satellite images to further develop their capabilities and potentials." He also stressed that "through the competition, MBRCS promotes innovation and encourages the Remote Sensing Technology," and considered that "these programs and scientific initiatives wouldn't have seen the light of day without new ideas stemming from creative thinking." The first edition, RSAC 2014, MBRSC received more than 20 project submissions on Remote Sensing and Space Sciences. The center provided the participants with the space images and the necessary requirements for each project. The results were announced during the Global Space and Satellite Forum 2015. To participate in this year's edition applicants should email all documents and inquiries to the RSAC team on [email protected]. For more information and details about the competition please visit MBRSC's website: www.mbrsc.ae MBRSC is a Dubai government entity, which aims to promote scientific innovation and technology advancement in Dubai and the UAE. The center works on research projects and studies related to space science, in line with the approach of the United Arab Emirates, in its quest to develop the sector and build national academic skills through it. Among the most prominent tasks entrusted to the center are the design, implementation, and supervision of all phases of launching the "Hope Probe" to explore Mars. The center is also responsible for all projects related to satellite technology and applications and specialized projects, and advanced technical projects assigned to stakeholders. Also, the center provides space imaging and earth station services and support to other satellite services. In 2009, MBRSC launched "DubaiSat-1" into space, the first remote sensing satellite. In 2013, the second satellite "DubaiSat-2" was launched, while work is under way to launch the third satellite "KhalifaSat", which is being built purely by Emirati engineering and expertise in the UAE.
