Maldives Space Research Organisation

Action. Wonder. Adventure. Artemis II has got it all. Don't miss the moment. Our crewed Moon mission will launch as early as April 1. Learn how to watch: nasa.gov/ways-to-watch/

Carrying out #research #surveys in Lhaviyani and Noonu #atoll of the #Maldives to 1) accurately map #seagrass, 2) understand the role seagrass plays in managing #coastal #hazards, and 3) assess and compare #blue #carbon stored in different types of seagrass meadows. One of the outcomes of COASTS is to provide insight into how much coastal protection seagrass offers in Maldives, especially in these fast-spreading meadows, and preliminary explore whether these meadows have a net benefit or loss to the ecosystem. This will in-turn provide evidence-based data to relevant stakeholders to support seagrass management practices in Maldives. These pictures were taken on the beautiful island of @sixsenses #kanuhuraa who are a stakeholder in this project. Surveys are being carried out by Submaris (submaris.com/en/) with on-ground support from @Msromv, under the @EU4Space Horizon Europe 2023 funded #COASTS project. The project is led by @EOMAP, with coastal modelling by @fugro. For more information on the project please visit: eomap.com/usecases/coast… If you would like to know more about the Maldives-specific pilot, please reach out to me.

New year, new insights! The next SINC is on the horizon…

Watch this space for more details

What does large-scale land #reclamation look like in the overall timescale of #coastal changes? Land just seems to appear out of nowhere! #coastalmagic #Landsat8

Vast has signed an MoU with @Msromv regarding human spaceflight and science opportunities in partnership with the growing Maldives space industry. vastspace.com/updates/vast-a…

Sustainable Island Living? The fifth post in this series, which is being carried out as part of the Maldives Space Research Organisation (MSRO)'s ongoing collaboration with the National Collection of Aerial Photography (NCAP), shows the past 56 years of development on Kudafari island. 🏝 In contrast to the Male’ region (Post 4 of 7), Kudafari is a better example of the development road which many inhabited islands across Maldivian atolls have taken. Growth in the community has led to much of the land area being needed for housing and other supporting infrastructure. 🏘🛠 A harbour is seen as essential for a community which is connected to the outside world solely through maritime traffic. ⚓️🚢 Land reclamation of which only a little has been carried out in Kudafari (south side of the harbour) is perceived as necessary. But these developments generally lead to changes to the environment, especially along the coast. 🌊 In the case of Kudafari the southern coastline has significantly eroded while the western side of the island continues to face ongoing erosion (50 metres of localised erosion in the past 20 years). How will these islands change in the next 50 years? 🕰 Will they all follow the direction of the Greater Male’ Region, which is one of the most densely populated regions of the world with all the issues associated with high dense urban regions? Or will these islands be able to find a balance between improving the quality of life for the residents while maintaining a semblance of the laid-back and slow lifestyle reminiscent of the olden days of island living? What is clear is that many of the current development practices are not sustainable. 🌱 A more holistic planning process which takes into consideration the natural capital of the islands in proposed developments will be key. Please reach out to us if you would like to learn more about how to support #MSRO and #NCAP’s work. Image courtesy of NCAP. Collection: DOS, Sortie: 13M/RAF/1414, Frame: 0246 (24 February 1969) ncap.org

Axiom Space, a leader in commercial space infrastructure, and the Maldives Space Research Organisation, dedicated to the research and development of the space sector in the Maldives, have officially signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to create a world-class astronaut training program, commercial spaceflight facility, and collaborative space projects. This strategic partnership will utilize Axiom Space expertise in commercial human spaceflight missions and MSRO’s position in space science, research, and technology – leveraging the Maldives unique geographical and environmental advantages. #ExperienceSpace #BuildingOpportunity

Here is the list of documents which have currently been published and/or available to the public: 1- Peer-reviewed academic publication utilising Earth Observation to understand island behaviour: Morphological Response of Coral Reef Islands to the 2019 Extreme Positive Indian Ocean Dipole Event Link: meridian.allenpress.com/jcr/article-ab… 2- Peer-reviewed academic publication supporting the data management work of the Digital Earth Maldives Initiatve: Environmental data through de-centralised collection: An assessment of environmental data sovereignty in Maldives Link:mnjr.mnu.edu.mv/journal/articl… 3- Policy brief supporting the above publication: Policy Brief on Navigating Environmental Data Sovereignty in the Maldives: Key Challenges and Next Steps Link: researchgate.net/publication/38… 4- Technical brief progressing the second publication:A Cloud-Native Modern Data Architecture for Natural Capital Accounting Link: researchgate.net/publication/39… 5- Technical report underlying the benthic classification work within the Digital Earth Maldives Initiative: Towards an operational benthic habitat classification system for the Maldives: A review of existing studies and Roadmap for operational mapping Link: researchgate.net/publication/38… 6- Technical report on the pilot benthic classification system developed within the Digital Earth Maldives Initiative: Implementation of a Pilot Benthic Classification System at Meemu Atoll: Lessons Learnt and Next Steps Link: researchgate.net/publication/38… 7- Conference paper on astronomy and Maldivian heritage: Rediscovering The Maldivian Night Sky: Reclaiming a lost local astroculture for the next generation of spacefarers Link: iafastro.directory/iac/paper/id/9… 8- Conference paper on using astronomy within Maldivian culture: CELESTIAL ADORNMENTS: INTEGRATING SPACE AND LOCAL CONSTELLATIONS INTO MALDIVIAN TRADITIONAL JEWELRY Links: iafastro.directory/iac/paper/id/1…

As part of our ongoing timelapse series with @ncap_uk we’re excited to share a striking side-by-side of the Greater Malé region—capturing 56 years of transformation, from 1969 to 2025. 🌍✨ Here’s what the images reveal: 🏗️ A threefold expansion of the airport runway 🌊 Major land reclamation at Malé, Gulhifalhi & Thilafushi 🏝️ Two entirely new islands: Kudagiri & Feydhoo Finolhu 🌬️ Coastal erosion at Kurumba, the Maldives’ first resort And the sea? 🚢 In 1969: one lone vessel. In 2025: a sea full of movement—vessels in motion and large ships anchored offshore. This transformation highlights just how rapidly the Malé region has evolved—strategically, economically, and environmentally. It’s a vivid reminder of why real-time monitoring and planning tools are essential for safe, sustainable futures. 📡 Follow @msromv as we continue uncovering the Maldives’ changing landscapes—linking the past to the present to inform the future. Want to collaborate or support the project? Get in touch—we’d love to hear from you. #MSRO #NCAP #Maldives #RemoteSensing #CoastalChange #MaritimeDomainAwareness #TimelapseSeries #ClimateAdaptation #EnvironmentalMonitoring #CoralReefs #SatelliteImagery #SIDS #GreaterMaleRegion #Kudagiri #Gulhifalhu #Kurumbaa #Sentinel

🚀 Applications are now open! Apply for the first-ever Maldives Rocketry Challenge, organised by the Maldives Space Research Organisation (MSRO) in collaboration with Vectoring Space and @VillaCollegeMv Maldives. This groundbreaking project invites Maldivian university students and recent graduates to design, build, and launch their own sounding rockets—right here from the Maldives. Apply here: forms.gle/gj7xw5o3UhVYi5… Why it matters: 🌍 Be part of a first-of-its-kind rocketry challenge in the Maldives. 🔬 Contribute to building the Maldivian space sector and advancing STEM education. 🛠️ Gain hands-on experience in rocket design, propulsion, avionics, recovery systems, and testing. 🌌 Learn directly from international experts while helping place the Maldives on the global space map. Programme Highlights: 📍 October – 4 weeks of lectures & workshops at Villa College (Malé) and MSRO HQ (Crossroads Maldives) 📍 1–15 November – Launch campaign & final rocket tests in Gan, Addu Atoll 📍 16–30 November – Post-flight analysis & report submissions 📍 December – Certification & Awards Ceremony ✨ All programme costs, including travel and accommodation in Addu, will be fully covered by MSRO. Work releases may also be available for participants in full or part-time employment. Eligibility: Maldivian nationals Demonstrated interest in STEM (engineering, physics, or related fields preferred) Only 10 places available! 👉 Apply now, make history, and contribute to the Maldives’ journey into space. Applications close on 23rd September 2025. #MSRO #Vectoring #VillaCollege #StudentRocketry #Maldives #Aerospace #STEM #Space4All #capacitybuilding

🚀 Get ready to launch into a new future! 🚀 The Maldives Space Research Organisation (MSRO) is excited to announce the Maldives Rocketry Challenge, a first-of-its-kind initiative developed in collaboration with Vectoring Space and @VillaCollegeMv designed to develop local capacity and capabilities in space engineering.   The Challenge is the first project to fall under MSRO’s Space Launch Access Programme (SLAP) and will run for six weeks from 1st October to 15th November 2025. This competitive opportunity is a historic chance to be among the very first participants shaping the future of space science and technology in the Maldives. Seize your chance to learn from industry experts and get hands-on experience designing, building, and launching your very own rocket! ·      Four weeks of intensive sessions at Villa College, Malé, and Crossroads Maldives. ·      Two weeks of field work and launching in Addu City. This is your mission, should you choose to accept it. The costs of the programme, and accommodation in, and travel to and from Addu will be covered in full by MSRO.  Stay tuned for more information and for the opening of applications on Monday 8th September! #MSRO #Vectoring #VillaCollege #StudentRocketry #Maldives #Aerospace #STEM

The mangrove seeds from our "Mangroves in Space" mission have safely returned to Earth! 🚀🇲🇻 After orbiting the planet over 100 times aboard the International Space Station, the seeds from the @jaguarspace_llc payload safely returned to Earth along with @NASA ‘s Crew-10. Now, they may hold the keys to building more sustainable food systems for our planet. The next phase has officially begun. Our Maldivian mangrove seeds are now undergoing extensive scientific analysis to see how their time in space has affected them, with a primary focus on Earth use cases. We're turning spaceflight into knowledge that will serve both our home planet and future space missions. A massive thank you to our collaborators and partners around the world who made this incredible mission possible. The mission continues as these vital studies are underway! #MaldivesInSpace #MSRO #MangrovesInSpace #ISS #WorldSeeds #Research #Sustainability

As part of the Maldives Space Research Organisation’s timelapse series with National Collection of Aerial Photography (NCAP), we turn our lens to Addu Atoll — the Maldives’ southernmost atoll, where Gan once served as a base for the British Royal Air Force. 🛰️Satellite imagery from 1969, 2014, 2016, and 2025 highlights a defining moment: the 2023/4 Addu reclamation project, which added 190 hectares of new land. 🏝️This large-scale project reshaped the atoll’s geography to create space for housing and infrastructure. Yet, in keeping with Addu’s island-centric pattern, the 2023/4 expansion did not connect the islands—each reclaimed area functions independently. A similar reclamation in Feydhoo (middle island) also showed little to no signs of socio-economic expansion since 2016. 🌱 The ecological story is just as striking. Reclamation has had a visible environmental impact, while seagrass meadows tell a surprising tale: Between 2014 and 2025, seagrass density and extent increased significantly—suggesting dredging and reclamation may be accelerating ecological change. ❓Two big questions for policymakers: 1️⃣ Is the purpose of reclamation being achieved? 2️⃣ Were environmental impacts within the expectations of the #EIA? These are critical questions as Addu—and other Maldivian atolls—work to balance development with environmental integrity, while preparing for unexpected ecological shifts. 🔍Stay tuned as we continue this series, linking the past, present, and future of the #Maldives. Image: NCAP (DOS, Sortie: 13M/RAF/1419, Frame: 0112, 25 Feb 1969) ncap.org #MSRO #NCAP #Maldives #Addu #Reclamation #Coral #Seagrass #CoastalChange #SatelliteImagery #EnvironmentalMonitoring #SIDS #ClimateAdaptation #RemoteSensing

If you are interested in learning more about the work we are doing, I will be giving a short talk on Sunday (17th August) 11:50am at the @MNUedu Central Auditorium. Title of talk: Digital Earth Maldives Initiative (#DEMI): A platform to support environmental decision-making Two of my team members will also be presenting at #Theveli2025, providing more details on specific research projects 1- Application of satellite-derived vegetation indices to quantify island-scale coastal #erosion 2- A robust #cloudmasking algorithm for satellite images over the #Maldives

Success! The MSRO Mangroves in Space mission has successfully launched to the International Space Station (ISS)! This historic moment marks a new chapter for the Maldives, as our mangrove seeds begin their journey of discovery in microgravity. We are honored to be part of @JaguarSpace_LLC’s global World Seeds mission, contributing to vital research on crop resilience and sustainable agriculture. Congratulations to our international and local partners and the entire team on this incredible achievement! 🚀🇲🇻 #JaguarSpace #MSRO #Maldives #MangrovesInSpace #NASA #SpaceX #ISS #WorldSeeds #SpaceAgriculture

LIVE: After lifting off from @NASAKennedy on Aug. 1, NASA's @SpaceX Crew-11 mission is arriving at the @Space_Station. SpaceX's Dragon Endeavour spacecraft is scheduled to dock around 2:30am ET (0630 UTC). twitter.com/i/broadcasts/1…

…And off they go! Crew-11 lifted off from @NASAKennedy at 11:43am ET (1543 UTC), headed towards the @Space_Station.

The full study on data management has been published. The study attempts to understand why the #environmental #data management landscape in #Maldives is so #fragmented, and does so by evaluating data management principles from policy, implementation, and operational perspectives. The goal of the study was to explore how to best harness the numerous environmental datasets that are being generated in Maldives. The outcomes from this study are being incorporated into DEMI (msro.mv/project-demi) to make environmental data findable and more #accessible to researchers, public, and policymakers. Link to full study: mnjr.mnu.edu.mv/journal/articl…

Tomorrow, a piece of the Maldives journeys to space! 🇲🇻🚀 The World Seeds mission lead by @JaguarSpace_LLC , supported by MSRO's Mangroves in Space initiative launches July 31st, 17:00 MVT, from Kennedy Space Center. 🌱 Witness history as Maldivian mangrove seeds head to the ISS to advance global space agriculture research and climate resilience efforts. Don't miss the livestream! 🛰️ Livestream at: plus.nasa.gov/scheduled-vide… #JaguarSpace #MSRO #MangrovesInSpace #Maldives #SpaceAgriculture #ClimateAction