Revealed: First images from UAE’s cutting-edge MBZ-SAT, Etihad-SAT satellites

Highly detailed images from the UAE’s most advanced imagery satellites, MBZ-SAT and Etihad-SAT, have been unveiled in celebration of World Space Week 2025.

MBZ-SAT, named in honour of H.H. Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, was launched in January 2025 by the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) and is the region’s most advanced optical satellite. Meanwhile, Etihad-SAT, which was launched in March 2025, is the MBRSC’s first Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellite, capable of capturing imagery regardless of cloud cover or lighting.

Together, these satellites are designed to deliver high-quality data that can be used to inform decision-making across critical sectors, from disaster response to smart agriculture and infrastructure development.

Photos published Thursday, particularly from MBZ-SAT, show high-resolution imagery of key landmarks such as Dubai’s Expo City and a top-down view of Ain Dubai, the world’s tallest observation wheel.

The Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre has released the first set of images captured by MBZ-SAT and Etihad-SAT, coinciding with World Space Week 2025. pic.twitter.com/QgKCFL36dM

— Dubai Media Office (@DXBMediaOffice) October 7, 2025

Local manufacturers played a critical role, with 90 per cent of MBZ-SAT’s mechanical structures manufactured in the UAE. As Hamad Obaid AlMansoori, chairman of the MBRSC, highlighted, on-the-ground talent in the UAE further played an important part too.

“The release of these first images from MBZ-SAT and Etihad-SAT reflects the strategic vision of our leadership and the dedication of our Emirati engineers,” AlMansoori said.

“By combining optical and radar technologies, the UAE is not only meeting its own needs but also contributing vital solutions to global challenges,” he added.

Salem Humaid AlMarri, director general of MBRSC, further said, “The release of these images demonstrates our capacity to deliver advanced, reliable data that supports multiple domains. It also signals our commitment to developing a new generation of satellites that serve both the UAE and the wider world.”

Key facts around MBZ-SAT and Etihad-SAT

Both the MBZ-SAT and Etihad-SAT have been developed to deliver optimal imagery and radar technology.

For MBZ-SAT, which weighs 750 kg and measures 3 m × 5 m, its high-resolution optical camera offers twice the precision of previous models in the region. The satellite further features electric propulsion, star-tracking navigation (metre-level accuracy), and a fourfold increase in data transmission speed. Images captured by MBZ-SAT can be delivered within two hours of capture: ten times faster than previous generations.

Etihad-SAT is the UAE’s first SAR satellite that uses radar to image the Earth in all weather and lighting conditions. It supports three imaging modes: spot, scan, and strip, allowing detailed, regional, or wide-area coverage.

The satellite’s SAR data is processed through AI systems that enhance accuracy, speed, and usability for government, research, and industry partners. It was developed in collaboration with South Korea’s Satrec Initiative, a programme that ensured knowledge transfer to Emirati engineers.

Benfets of SAR data

The benefits of SAR data are significant, as highlighted in a recent paper published by UAE SpaceTech company Space42, entitled Foresight Constellation Viewpoint.

“The economic case for national SAR intelligence rests on substantial fundamentals driven by unprecedented global infrastructure investment and rapidly expanding market demand,” the authors of the report wrote. “Conservative analysis indicates a $1bn to $2bn annual addressable market for geospatial intelligence in Gulf infrastructure, based on 1–2 per cent of total infrastructure spending allocated to advanced monitoring.

“When combined with defence applications across strategic monitoring, threat detection, and operational coordination, the total addressable market expands significantly, particularly given regional defence spending patterns averaging 5.8 per cent of GDP,” the report noted.

The report further highlighted that specific improvements include up to a 90 per cent reduction in emergency response decision-making time, a 30 per cent cost reduction in predictive maintenance applications, and 25 per cent operational cost savings through optimised resource allocation.

The MBRSC has also highlighted that the integration of optical and radar systems enables the UAE to respond adaptively to urgent global challenges, from climate change and food security to urban planning and disaster resilience.