A 23-year-old Indian expatriate student based in Dubai will represent the United Arab Emirates in an international satellite mission aimed at designing, building, and launching a real satellite. Shafaq Mandha, a soon-to-be graduate of Middlesex University Dubai with a Bachelor of Engineering in Computer Systems Engineering, has been selected to participate in ORBITA-26, a global initiative organised by Lab of Future in partnership with the Future of Education in Russia.
Mandha has undergone several months of specialised training as part of the programme. She is scheduled to travel to Moscow in October to take part in the mission’s satellite launch, where she will compete alongside participants from six other countries.
Born and raised in the UAE to a family from the Indian state of Gujarat, Mandha completed her schooling across several institutions in Sharjah and Dubai before enrolling at Middlesex University Dubai. She plans to continue her academic journey with a Master of Science degree in Data Science and Artificial Intelligence at the same university starting this September.
Mandha’s interest in space technology developed through her involvement in student leadership roles and participation in international competitions. She held positions including Student Voice Leader, Inclusivity Champion, and Vice President of the Middlesex Innovation Hub’s student body. Her earlier experience in the Saudi Space Agency’s DebrisSolver Competition in Riyadh, where her team addressed challenges related to space debris, further strengthened her engagement in the field. She noted that these opportunities deepened her commitment to innovation at the intersection of artificial intelligence and space science.
Professor Fehmida Hussain, Deputy Director and Head of Computer Engineering and Informatics at Middlesex University Dubai, praised Mandha’s accomplishment as a demonstration of the university’s focus on practical engineering education. She highlighted that projects like ORBITA-26 provide students with real-world challenges and international collaboration opportunities, fostering both technical expertise and cross-cultural engagement. Prof. Hussain expressed pride in Mandha’s role in representing the university and the UAE at such a high level.
Mandha described the ORBITA mission as a distinctive initiative blending education, international teamwork, and authentic scientific research. She emphasised that such hands-on projects are rare, especially for high school and undergraduate participants, making her selection a notable achievement. She credited her progress to the mentorship and support received through the university’s STARS Lab and faculty members.
The ORBITA-26 mission final in Moscow will bring together seven countries competing in the satellite launch event, underlining a growing emphasis on fostering young talent in the space and technology sectors worldwide.