MUSCAT : The Ministry lauded the achievement as a significant leap forward in the region’s space exploration endeavours.

“We congratulate our brothers at Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) in the United Arab Emirates on their outstanding success today in launching the Etihad-SAT radar satellite. Wishing them further progress and prosperity,” stated an announcement from the Ministry.

The Etihad-SAT satellite, launched on March 15 from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, is the UAE’s first Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellite. Designed to provide high-resolution Earth observation data in all weather conditions, the satellite is a crucial tool for applications such as disaster management, maritime navigation, and environmental monitoring.

The launch took place at 10:43 am (UAE time), with MBRSC’s team in Dubai confirming the first signal reception from the satellite at 12:04 pm (UAE time). This success marks a major milestone in the development of the UAE’s space capabilities.

Etihad-SAT represents a leap forward in MBRSC’s Satellite Development Programme. It is the first satellite equipped with SAR technology, which allows for high-resolution imaging of the Earth’s surface under any weather condition or time of day.

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