News

UAE Launches First Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) Satellite

Etihad-SAT can detect oil spills, aid in disaster management, maritime navigation, smart agriculture, and environmental monitoring.

Published

1 year ago

March 16, 2025

Nour Nasir

uae launches first synthetic aperture radar (sar) satellite

Dubai Media Office

The Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) successfully launched its first Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellite, Etihad-SAT, on March 15th, 2025.

In a major milestone for the UAE’s growing space program, the satellite took off from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, USA, aboard a Falcon 9 rocket at 10:43 AM (UAE time). The first signal from Etihad-SAT was received by MBRSC’s ground station in Dubai at 12:04 PM (UAE time), confirming the mission’s success.

Etihad-SAT is the first satellite developed under MBRSC’s Satellite Development Program. Equipped with SAR imaging technology, it can capture high-resolution images in all weather conditions, day or night. The satellite offers three modes of imaging: spot mode for detailed images of small areas, scan mode for wider coverage of large regions, and strip mode for extended observation over longer distances.

This versatility makes Etihad-SAT a powerful imaging tool for a range of applications, from detecting oil spills to aiding in natural disaster management, maritime navigation, smart agriculture, and environmental monitoring. The data gathered will be processed using AI, ensuring faster and more accurate results for these applications.

uae synthetic aperture radar (sar) satellite

Developed in collaboration with South Korea’s Satrec Initiative, Etihad-SAT is a result of months of work from MBRSC’s engineers. The team played a key role in defining the satellite’s technical specifications, conducting design and validation phases, and ensuring compliance with international standards. As part of MBRSC’s strategy, the project involved a significant focus on knowledge transfer and technology localization, ensuring that the UAE gains expertise to support future advancements in space technology.

H.E. Talal Humaid Belhoul Al Falasi, Vice President of MBRSC, commented: “The UAE is advancing steadily to become a global leader in space science and technology. This achievement, with the launch of Etihad-SAT, strengthens our Earth observation capabilities and provides valuable data for sustainable development. It also opens the door for new space technologies that will benefit the nation”.

Also Read: Space42 & Cobham Satcom Launch New Satellite Broadband Terminal

Satrec Initiative’s CEO, Ee-Eul Kim, shared his congratulations, stating: “The success of Etihad-SAT marks a significant achievement for the UAE. Our partnership with MBRSC in developing this high-resolution SAR satellite demonstrates the power of international collaboration. We are excited to continue our work together to shape the future of space technology”.

Etihad-SAT will be operated from MBRSC’s Mission Control Centre, where specialized teams will manage the satellite’s operations and analyze the data it sends back. The new capability enhances the UAE’s ability to monitor the planet more effectively, further cementing the country’s commitment to cutting-edge space technologies.

Related Topics:Space United Arab Emirates

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Instagram Redraws Its Wordmark And The Internet Reads “Instagzam”

Instagram’s first wordmark refresh in a decade arrives with new fonts, a restrained gradient — and a Reddit verdict of sidegrade.

Published

4 days ago

August 14, 2026

Nour Nasir

Instagram

Although Instagram’s famous camera icon hasn’t changed, the company has refreshed the handwritten wordmark at the top of its app. This is the first redesign we’ve seen in ten years, and one the internet promptly set about renaming.

“The wordmark at the top of the app hasn’t changed in 10 years, so it was time for a refresh,” Instagram head Adam Mosseri wrote in a post on August 13, describing the new version as “cleaner and more modern” while keeping references to the original design.

Instagram says its team explored hundreds of options — all-caps lettering, camera-inspired concepts, even literal handwriting — before returning to script. “Script reflects individuality, so referencing that felt right,” Instagram director of product design Jasmine Probst said in Meta’s announcement. “The new wordmark is bolder and simpler, with touches of unexpectedness. It cues individual expression, a personal voice, both of which have always been core to Instagram”.

The wordmark is part of a broader brand overhaul: an updated Instagram Sans typeface, two new fonts — the hand-drawn Instagram Pen and Instagram Mono — plus refreshed motion and layouts, and more restrained use of the signature gradient. The wordmark is rolling out globally now, with the rest arriving throughout 2026 and beyond.

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The design mixes cursive and print lettering, some characters connected and others floating free. That hybrid approach, combined with unusually shaped “s” and “r” characters, led some users to conclude the logo actually reads “Instagzam”. On the r/logodesign subreddit, one user said the wordmark looked “fan-made,” like something built in Canva; another called it “an unsettling mix of manuscript and cursive”; a third summarized it as a “sidegrade” — or, inevitably, a “zidegrade”.

Not everyone was hostile to the new look. Some found the half-cursive design stylish and surprisingly readable, while others called it an improvement on its predecessor, and one commenter argued Instagram was simply adopting minimalist branding later than everyone else. Either way, the platform now has a refreshed identity, three updated fonts, and an unofficial new pronunciation.