National anthem of Bahrain to be played in space
March 18, 2025
The Kingdom of Bahrain has successfully launched its first locally built satellite aboard Space X’s most recent Falcon 9 rocket, with the satellite the first in the region to integrate artificial intelligence for onboard image processing.
‘Al-Munther’ (meaning ‘herald’ or ‘messenger’) “symbolises Bahrain’s forward-looking vision and commitment to innovation,” explained the Bahrain International Airshow. With the satellite to be used for environmental monitoring, it also features a cybersecurity system and a unique broadcast function; the latter to transmit Bahrain’s national anthem and a message from King Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa.
The satellite will operate in a sun-synchronous orbit at an altitude of 550km and is expected to have a two year lifespan. The project was spearheaded by the Bahrain National Space Science Agency (NSSA), formed in 2014 “to promote Bahrain to a position of international prominence in the field of space science for the purpose of achieving comprehensive and sustainable development”. The UAE Space Agency was also formed in the same year.
