MBRSC releases first Earth images from MBZ-SAT and Etihad-SAT, showcasing UAE’s advanced satellite imaging capabilities.
DUBAI: The Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) has shared the first set of images captured by its latest satellites — MBZ-SAT and Etihad-SAT — marking a significant moment during World Space Week 2025. This release underscores the UAE’s fast-growing expertise in high-resolution satellite imaging and Earth observation.
MBZ-SAT and Etihad-SAT, launched in January and March 2025 respectively, offer complementary technologies to capture both optical and radar-based satellite imagery. Named after President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, MBZ-SAT is the region’s most sophisticated optical imaging satellite, while Etihad-SAT is MBRSC’s first Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellite, capable of capturing data in any weather, day or night.
The MBRSC images mark a leap in delivering rapid, high-precision Earth data. MBZ-SAT’s powerful camera, developed locally by Emirati engineers, offers twice the clarity of previous models. Its advanced systems allow images to be processed and delivered within just two hours. The satellite’s design was heavily supported by UAE-based companies, reinforcing national industrial expertise.
Etihad-SAT, developed with Korea’s Satrec Initiative, enhances the UAE’s capacity to observe vast regions with its three radar imaging modes. Its SAR data is processed using artificial intelligence, delivering fast, accurate insights useful for disaster response, agriculture, maritime security, and infrastructure planning.
Hamad Obaid Al Mansoori, MBRSC Chairman, said this achievement reflects the UAE’s commitment to innovation and global space leadership. Director-General Salem Humaid Al Marri added the satellites represent a unified national effort in advanced Earth observation.
Together, MBZ-SAT and Etihad-SAT strengthen the UAE’s space mission by offering high-resolution optical and radar imaging that supports global environmental and development goals.
