The Mohammed Bin Rashid Area Centre (MBRSC) has launched the primary set of photographs captured by MBZ-SAT and Etihad-SAT, coinciding with World Area Week 2025, marking a serious milestone in UAE satellite tv for pc imaging and Earth commentary capabilities.
The discharge underscores the UAE’s rising power in area know-how and its capability to ship high-quality imaging knowledge for civil, environmental, maritime and infrastructure purposes.
World Area Week, declared by the United Nations Basic Meeting, celebrates the contribution of area science and know-how to human progress.
UAE seen from area
MBZ-SAT and Etihad-SAT signify two distinct however complementary applied sciences that collectively present a complete view of Earth.
- Named in honour of President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, MBZ-SAT — launched in January 2025 — is the area’s most superior optical imaging satellite tv for pc
- Etihad-SAT, launched in March 2025, is the Centre’s first Artificial Aperture Radar (SAR) satellite tv for pc able to capturing knowledge in all climate and lighting situations
Collectively, the satellites present constant, high-resolution knowledge supporting key sectors similar to catastrophe administration, sensible agriculture and infrastructure growth.
Hamad Obaid Al Mansoori, Chairman of MBRSC, stated the discharge of the pictures “displays the strategic imaginative and prescient of the management and the dedication of Emirati engineers,” including that combining optical and radar applied sciences permits the UAE to “contribute revolutionary options to world challenges” and reinforces its place as a pioneer in area know-how.
Salem Humaid Al Marri, Director-Basic of MBRSC, stated the 2 satellites kind a part of “a unified nationwide functionality in satellite tv for pc growth and Earth commentary,” including that the discharge “demonstrates the Centre’s skill to ship dependable knowledge supporting a number of domains” and its dedication to “constructing a brand new era of satellites serving the UAE and the broader world.”
Weighing 750kg and measuring 3m x 5m, MBZ-SAT was developed by Emirati engineers, with 90 per cent of its mechanical constructions manufactured regionally.
It carries one of many area’s highest-resolution cameras, able to capturing photographs with double the precision of earlier fashions.
The satellite tv for pc options an electrical propulsion unit, star-tracking navigation system with metre-level accuracy, and knowledge transmission charges 4 occasions sooner than earlier generations.
It may well ship photographs inside two hours of seize — a tenfold enchancment in effectivity.
The undertaking additionally concerned partnerships with a number of UAE-based firms, together with Strata, EPI, Rockford Xellerix, Halcon, Falcon, and EGA, additional strengthening the nation’s industrial and engineering capabilities.
UAE satellites
Etihad-SAT, developed with help from the Republic of Korea’s Satrec Initiative, makes use of radar imaging to seize high-resolution knowledge no matter atmospheric situations or time of day.
It operates in three imaging modes — spot, scan and strip — enabling detailed, wide-area and regional monitoring for makes use of similar to maritime navigation, oil spill detection, catastrophe response, and precision farming.
The info collected by Etihad-SAT is processed utilizing synthetic intelligence to reinforce accuracy and velocity, benefiting authorities companies, researchers, and personal sector customers.
The collaboration with Satrec Initiative additionally facilitated information switch to Emirati groups, strengthening native experience in radar know-how.
With the discharge of those first photographs, MBRSC has bolstered its mission to construct a diversified satellite tv for pc fleet providing complementary optical and radar capabilities.
The mixed operation of MBZ-SAT and Etihad-SAT demonstrates the UAE’s rising function as a world chief in area know-how, offering superior satellite tv for pc imagery that helps native and worldwide initiatives addressing local weather change, meals safety, and sustainable city growth.
