Yaqoob Alqassab
Yaqoob Alqassab is an Engineering Specialist at the Bahrain National Space Science Agency (NSSA). He joined NSSA in 2019 as a Senior Engineer and was promoted to his current position in 2024 in recognition of his dedication and impressive job performance. Yaqoob has cultivated a diverse skillset, including expertise in satellite engineering, Attitude Determination and Control Subsystem (ADCS) programming, structural and thermal analyses, system analysis and mission analysis. While working for NSSA, Yaqoob developed the first Bahraini software in space for ADCS as part of his work on Light-1, a 3U CubeSat designed to detect Terrestrial Gamma-ray Flashes and the first joint project between Bahrain and the UAE. Yaqoob contributed significantly to the launch of DhabiSat, a 2U CubeSat created to test novel ADCS algorithms in space, for which he served as both an ADCS software programmer and structural integrity analyst. He also worked on AlMunther, a 3U CubeSat aimed at capturing medium-resolution images of Bahrain and testing Bahraini AI and cybersecurity innovations in space. He completed his Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Bahrain and his Master’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering from Khalifa University.
Yaqoob has proven himself to be both an impressive engineer and leader at NSSA. He led his team to win Phases 1 and 2 of the UK Space Agency International Bilateral Fund. Yaqoob served as technical lead for the project and collaborated with UK partners, including the University of Leicester and Geospatial Insights. In Phase 1, he led the Bahrain space team to study the feasibility of developing a CO2 payload for a small satellite to detect CO2 levels in Bahrain and the Gulf region, and their study’s success led to securing £1.4 million in funding for Phase 2. The project provided Bahrain’s space team with valuable experience in developing complex satellite payloads for gas detection and further developed the cooperative relationship between the Bahrain and UK space sectors. It will likely also contribute heavily to environmental goals in Gulf countries, as CO2 data has, until now, been largely unavailable in Bahrain and the Gulf region.
Yaqoob has also made substantial academic contributions throughout his career, having published 28 research papers in the field of space system technology. He won the first round of the Payload Hosting Initiative, organized by the UN Office for Outer Space Affairs and the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Center. In 2023, Yaqoob also won the Emerging Space Leaders grant from the International Astronautical Federation. He was selected from among 200 nominations for the third batch of the Lamea national program, in which he and 19 other applicants underwent a 4-month training period on leadership, strategic planning and foresight.
Outside of work hours, Yaqoob volunteers his time to inspiring and educating the next generation of space enthusiasts. He has conducted over 25 public workshops to promote space science awareness and engagement for government entities, the private sector and schools and universities. Yaqoob has been a speaker at multiple international forums, including the UN/IAF 29th and 31st Workshops on Space Technology for Social-Economic Benefits. He has also been invited to speak at the 2024 young professional workshop organized by the IAF international program/project management committee.
