UAE’s Space42 has successfully shipped three Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellites from its Space42 Space Systems facility in Abu Dhabi to the United States.
The SAR satellites – Foresight-3, Foresight-4, and Foresight-5 – were manufactured in partnership with ICEYE, the global leader in SAR satellite operations.
The three new Foresights will join Space42’s EO Foresight Constellation, delivering persistent, all-weather imagery at 25-centimetre resolution with global coverage. The constellation will now offer enhanced tactical access to its premium SAR imagery products, enabling precise insights for disaster response, climate monitoring, urban planning, logistics, and national security.
This marks a milestone moment for the UAE SpaceTech company, as it is the first time advanced SAR satellites have completed critical integration and testing activities in the UAE within the Space42 AIT (Assembly, Integration, and Testing) facility.
The three new satellites will boost Space42’s objective of becoming the preferred partner for premium geospatial data and reaffirms the UAE’s leadership in Earth Observation, geospatial intelligence, satellite innovation, and advanced manufacturing.
Khalid Al Awadhi, SVP Earth Observation Systems, Space42, commented: “This is a proud moment for Space42 and the UAE. For the first time, satellites equipped with cutting-edge SAR technology have been tested in the UAE.
“This reflects how far we have come: from reliance on imported technology to building advanced platforms with our global partners. These satellites will expand our Foresight Constellation and deepen our sovereign capability.”
The imagery is analysed by Space42’s AI platform, GIQ, which delivers decision-grade geospatial intelligence for planning, operations, and risk response across government and enterprise.
The two earlier satellites were launched in August 2024, followed by Foresight-2 in January 2025.
What is SAR and how does it help?
According to NASA, synthetic aperture radar (SAR) is a type of active data collection where an instrument sends out a pulse of energy and then records the amount of that energy reflected back after it interacts with Earth.
Unlike optical imagery, which is a passive data collection technique based on emitted energy, SAR imagery is created from the reaction of an emitted pulse of energy with physical structures (like mountains, forests, and sea ice) and conditions like soil moisture.
Unlike optical sensors or LiDAR, SAR can penetrate clouds and operate day or night, making it valuable for various applications like mapping flooded areas and monitoring environmental changes, such as
studying Antarctic icebergs, tracking the paths of oil spills into sensitive marshes, and mapping the wetlands of Alaska.
Building sovereign capability at home
The UAE’s growing SpaceTech leadership and manufacturing base is enabled by domestic AIT capability, Emirati engineering and leadership, and collaboration with global partners, ensuring milestones and key activities are met on time and budget.
By embedding full AIT capabilities and vertically integrating satellite technology, Space42 and the UAE gain strategic agility – shaping timelines, missions, and system design. This level of capability, available to only a handful of nations, ensures the UAE can align its space assets with national and economic priorities.
Space42 plans to further grow the constellation through 2027.
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