Personal Info
- Country of residence: Palestine
Information
University in London. Her thesis “An Innovative Design for 1U CubeSat” analyzed the components of her design, clarifying what it would take for “PALESTINE_1” to be launched into space in the upcoming years.
A CubeSat is a type of miniaturized satellite used for space research in low Earth orbit. It is placed inside a container that usually attaches to rockets going to space, and it can be ejected through the push of a button. CubeSats can be prepared to launch relatively fast, usually within a year or two.
These satellites minimize launch costs since they are not as heavy as normal satellites, and they do not require high amounts of fuel, granting smaller companies and research institutions affordable access to space.
Throughout the past years, countries have been racing to develop and launch CubeSats in an attempt to prove their scientific competencies. According to the European Space Agency, CubeSats are “changing the game when it comes to space exploration,” and these inventions will soon be able to venture further into space.
“CubeSats are cheaper than conventional satellites,” Abusalameh told Kayani Project. “They are expected to reduce the cost of space missions needed to study the Earth. The data collected by CubeSats can help us find solutions to global issues, including global warming and urban planning, using a scientific approach.”
Abusalameh’s journey came with several challenges along the way, especially as a young Palestinian woman.
“I grew up in an occupied territory, where our education is subject to the occupation’s restrictions,” explained Abusalameh. “I was also one of the very few females in the Mechanical Engineering department, which sometimes made me feel alienated.”
“We need more females in STEM disciplines,” affirmed Abusalameh, who is passionate about physics and space. “We need unconventional thinking to solve conventional problems.”
Similarly, Abusalameh’s significant scientific achievement was born amidst a state of continuous turmoil in her home country as well as a global pandemic that restricted her access to the majority of facilities.
“I had to work on the design while following up with what was happening in Sheikh Jarrah and Gaza,” said Abusalameh. “I kept working and researching, hoping that this would give hope to Palestinians everywhere.”
As for her next steps, Bayan Abusalameh will be pursuing her PhD, allowing her to work on her design and eventually send it to space. She will also endeavor to design more satellites that can be used to solve current global issues under a broader mission dubbed #FromPalestineToSpace.
“[Pursuing my PhD] will enable me to better research and study the CubeSats industry and enhance PALESTINE_1 so that it can have a successful launch,” she said.
According to Abusalameh, financial assistance is indispensable to ensure that PALESTINE_1 can be launched into orbit within the next few years, as each satellite costs around $100,000 to $200,000. Likewise, she stressed that solidarity via social media and support from the Palestinian people are vital for her to reach her goal.
Bayan Abusalameh has raised the Palestinian flag in the scientific realm, shedding light once again on the capabilities of Palestinian women.
“Dream big, and work hard,” she said, addressing Palestinian women and girls. “Don’t let anyone doubt your skills, your intelligence, or your potential. It will not be easy, and when you feel like giving up, don’t! You are getting closer to achieving something great.”
Abu Salama, who finished her high school studies from Beituniya Girls’ Secondary School in Ramallah in the occupied West Bank, named her group “Palestine 1” to be the nucleus of the first Palestinian satellite.
Abu Salama, who graduated from Birzeit University in the Department of Mechanical Engineering in 2018, said in a press statement that her innovation represents a typical solution for regular satellites, as creativity lies in manufacturing the structures of these satellites.
She continued: "Through the project, I was able to design distinctive structures that enable these satellites to launch into space and obtain advanced information that can be sent periodically to the planet, specifically with regard to issues of urban sprawl and water scarcity."
She indicated that this would contribute more accurately to obtaining more realistic and accurate practical solutions to those issues that trouble the whole world.
Abu Salama also expressed her overwhelming happiness with the project, which faced many obstacles in order to achieve it. The project is primarily educational, and requires efforts and financial and moral support.
She added: "Part of my study included trying to reduce the cost of regular satellites, so that we have the largest possible number of these satellites, whose mission is to send accurate information that can help solve many problems that the population of the globe suffers from."
And her message statement was directed to the persevering Palestinian youth, and to everyone who has a dream in his pocket by which he wants to raise the flag of his country high: “Do not stop striving to achieve your dreams as long as you believe in them,” noting that she faced many frustrations who underestimated the value of her project, “But now I am I raise the flag of my country high, I managed to achieve the first part of the dream, and I will continue.”
Bayan began her master's studies in London in 2020 and obtained an honors degree after completing this educational stage several days ago.
Achievements and Awards
It creates a series of miniature satellites that it aspires to launch into space
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