Jordanian students develop Al Rhim Sat, the country’s first student-built satellite
HTU-led CubeSat project selected by UN space agency for future launch to track wildlife via low-power tech
AMMAN, Jordan (MNTV) — A team of Jordanian university students, led by Al Hussein Technical University (HTU), has successfully developed the country’s first student-built satellite, named Al Rhim Sat, marking a significant milestone in Jordan’s entry into space technology.
The satellite was developed in collaboration with the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA), which selected the project for launch under its global educational satellite initiative.
According to the Jordan News Agency, Petra, the CubeSat is scheduled for launch in late 2026 or early 2027 aboard a U.S.-based mission facilitated by the German deployment platform EXOpod, operated by Exolaunch.
The concept originated in 2023 when Diana Jabbour, an aerospace engineering student at Jordan University of Science and Technology, submitted a satellite design to a UNOOSA competition.
HTU later adopted the proposal, providing full financial backing, technical oversight, and logistical support throughout the development process.
Al Rhim Sat, named after the endangered Arabian Reem gazelle, is a 10-centimeter cube weighing two kilograms. It is equipped with solar panels, communication systems, sensors, and a central onboard computer.
The satellite’s primary mission is to monitor wildlife in Jordan’s remote areas using long-range, low-power wireless communication technology known as LoRa.
The data collected will aid environmental research and enhance HTU’s academic research in satellite communications and space systems.
While HTU does not yet have its own ground station, the Royal Jordanian Radio Amateurs Society will handle satellite communication post-launch.
Project supervisor and HTU Mechanical Engineering Department Head Firas Jarrar said the satellite offers practical learning opportunities in satellite engineering, software programming, and interdisciplinary teamwork.
The initiative has also encouraged further student innovation, such as Project One Sat, which recently won first place in the national technology festival’s security and defense category.
UNOOSA officially recognized Al Rhim Sat as the first Jordanian student satellite project to be selected for its launch support program. It was chosen from a competitive pool of 17 proposals submitted by teams from 15 countries.
The project reflects Jordan’s growing aspirations in the space sector and showcases the country’s rising technical expertise and youth-driven innovation.
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