The Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) has announced that its first Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellite, Etihad-SAT, is set for launch tomorrow (15 March) from the Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, USA. The satellite will be carried into orbit aboard a Falcon 9 rocket at 10:39 AM (UAE time), with the launch schedule subject to weather and operational conditions.
Etihad-SAT was developed in collaboration with South Korea’s Satrec Initiative, with MBRSC engineers leading the project’s technical specifications, preliminary design and validation phases. They also played a key role in finalising the design and manufacturing alongside Satrec Initiative, reinforcing MBRSC’s commitment to advancing national space capabilities through technology transfer and localisation.
Equipped with SAR technology, Etihad-SAT is capable of high-precision Earth observation in all weather and lighting conditions, including day and night. The satellite features three imaging modes: spot mode for high-resolution imaging of small areas, scan mode for wide-area coverage and strip mode for extended regional observation. These capabilities make Etihad-SAT a valuable asset across various sectors, including oil spill detection, disaster management, maritime navigation, smart agriculture and environmental monitoring. Additionally, the satellite’s data will be processed using AI-powered technologies to enhance analysis and application.
Once in orbit, Etihad-SAT will be managed by MBRSC’s Mission Control Centre, where expert teams will oversee operations and analyse data transmissions from space to Earth.
Following the launch, the satellite will be operated and managed by MBRSC’s Mission Control Centre, where specialised teams will oversee operations and analyse the data transmitted from space to Earth.
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