UAE’s Etihad-SAT set to launch from California on Saturday

The Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) on Friday announced that its first Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellite, Etihad-SAT is scheduled for launch tomorrow (Saturday, March 15)  from the Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, USA, aboard a Falcon 9 rocket at 10:39 UAE time.

The launch date and timing may be subject to change based on weather and operational conditions.

Developed as part of a strategic partnership with Korea’s Satrec Initiative, Etihad-SAT was designed with the involvement of MBRSC’s team, who led the technical specifications phase before moving on to preliminary design and technical validation to ensure compliance with the highest global standards.

MBRSC engineers then took the lead in finalising the design and manufacturing in partnership with Satrec Initiative. The development is in line with the centre’s commitment to enhancing national space capabilities through knowledge transfer and the localisation of advanced technologies.

Etihad-SAT is equipped with advanced SAR technology that enables high-precision Earth observation across all weather and environmental conditions during both day and night. The satellite offers three imaging modes: spot mode (high-resolution imaging for small areas), scan mode (wide-area coverage for large regions) and strip mode (extended observation for longer regions).

These features make Etihad-SAT a powerful tool for multiple industries, from detecting oil spills and managing natural disasters to enhancing maritime navigation, supporting smart agriculture, and conducting environmental monitoring. Additionally, the data provided by Etihad-SAT will be processed using AI-powered technologies.

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.

Live coverage of the mission launch will begin at 10:15 UAE time and can be followed via the MBRSC website: