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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

2 years 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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Microsoft Plans $10 Billion-Plus Gulf Expansion Despite Iran Conflict

Security is shaping Microsoft’s approach, from resilience work with governments to what it will say about how the money splits by country.

Published

4 days ago

September 24, 2026

Nour Nasir

Microsoft

Microsoft is planning more than $10 billion of investment across the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Kuwait through 2030, Vice Chair and President Brad Smith told Reuters, calling the spending schedule aggressive. The Iranian conflict that began on February 28 has not persuaded the company to scale back.

“We’re sustaining all the investments we planned to make before this conflict started, and we are in fact adding to them,” Smith said. The $10 billion-plus total does not, however, show how large those additions are.

The investment, which Smith described as part of Microsoft’s continued infrastructure expansion, is aimed at cloud and AI infrastructure and at the company’s growing regional operations. Microsoft also intends to put more than $400 million into subsea and terrestrial connectivity across the Middle East by 2030.

The spending fits the region’s own ambitions too. Gulf governments have been investing heavily in AI infrastructure as part of a push to diversify their economies beyond oil and gas and turn themselves into global technology hubs. Major cloud and AI providers have been drawn in part by the land and relatively low-cost energy on offer.

Microsoft is widening its partnerships with regional AI companies, though not on identical terms. In 2024, it invested $1.5 billion in Abu Dhabi-based G42 for a minority stake, and Smith currently sits on G42’s board. Saudi Arabia’s Humain and Qatar’s Qai are working with Microsoft on selected priority areas, but Smith said the company does not plan to make capital investments in either.

Also Read: Egypt’s Mobile Wallets Are Booming, But Cash Still Has Power

The conflict has added another strand to Microsoft’s work in the region. Since it began, Smith said, the company has supported regional partners with digital resilience assessments, and it is now working with Gulf countries through a digital resilience initiative focused on preparedness and the protection of critical data.

So far, the company has given no country-by-country breakdown of the investment, citing security among other factors. So while the headline figure is public, how Microsoft divides the spending among the four countries is not.