- ADIO and Space42 are setting up the Middle East’s first commercial Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellite facility to boost the UAE’s Earth Observation capabilities.
- The Space42 Space Systems facility will handle design, assembly, integration, and testing, supporting the UAE’s Space Strategy 2030 and creating skilled local jobs.
- This initiative positions Abu Dhabi as a hub for advanced satellite manufacturing and sovereign space technologies in the region.
The Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO) announced the launch of the first dedicated commercial Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellite manufacturing facility in the Middle East. The project is being delivered in partnership with Space42, the UAE's AI-powered space technology company with global reach.
The facility, which will be called Space42 Space Systems, will localize the design, assembly, and testing of SAR satellites for Earth Observation (EO) purposes, providing Abu Dhabi with independent access to space-based intelligence. This capability will be developed locally for commercial purposes for the first time, enabling the UAE to independently manufacture andanced EO satellites and strengthen its space infrastructure.
Unveiled at Make it in the Emirates 2025, this project reflects ADIO's mission to draw strategic investments into targeted sectors, develop Abu Dhabi's knowledge economy, and further its evolution into a global hub for advanced manufacturing.
Space42 Space Systems will produce sustainable economic benefits, creating high-skilled jobs in the advanced industries sector, including a large proportion for UAE Nationals, supporting Abu Dhabi's commitment to developing a highly skilled and local talent pool. It will also contribute directly to the UAE's Space Strategy 2030 and the UAE's EO Space Programme, built to foster national capabilities in satellite-based remote sensing.
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His Excellency Badr Al-Olama, Director General of ADIO, said, “This strategic partnership brings together global capability and national ambition. By enabling transformative companies like Space42 to scale breakthrough technologies here in Abu Dhabi, we are delivering on our mandate to accelerate the emirate’s economic growth and establish future-ready industries. The transformational project demonstrates Abu Dhabi’s vision in action, enabling knowledge transfer, advancing critical infrastructure and delivering sustainable economic impact.”
Hasan Al Hosani, CEO of Banayat Smart Solutions at Space42, stated, “Bringing commercial satellite manufacturing into the UAE marks a pivotal step in realising Space42’s strategy. It enhances our sovereign capability in Earth Observation and strengthens our position as the preferred partner for premium geospatial data. Abu Dhabi is at the centre of this ambition, providing the environment to test, scale, and export space-based capabilities that are sovereign at origin and global in application. With ADIO as a partner, we are turning strategic intent into scalable infrastructure and cultivating Emirati talent that will shape the future of this sector.”
SAR satellites are instrumental in providing high-resolution imagery in all weather and light conditions and are important contributions to national security, environmental monitoring, and disaster response. Up until the present time, these systems have been developed and produced in a limited number of international markets. The project will be delivered by Space42, which has been created to run the facility using best-in-class technology in systems integration, advanced testing, and launch preparation.
The new modular facility will undertake the entire Assembly, Integration and Testing (AIT) life cycle – from system design, through to launch preparations. With space becoming a growing part of the global economy, ADIO’s backing will support Abu Dhabi’s emergence as an exporter of satellite technology, as well as mark the emirate as a regional center for manufacturing, data intelligence, and technologies.