A 23-year-old engineering student from Dubai will represent the UAE at an international space mission in Russia, where she will help design, build, and launch a real satellite. After that, she joined Middlesex University Dubai for her International Foundation Programme and Bachelor’s degree in Computer Systems Engineering. Pride for the universityMiddlesex University Dubai said it is proud of Shafaq’s achievement and her selection for the ORBITA mission. Training for ORBITA-26 started in July 2026 at Lab of Future’s Space Science, Tech and Research Lab in Dubai. The UAE team finished second globally in the first season, setting a strong example for this year’s participants.