Space42s Assembly, Integration, and Testing and LEO facilities in Abu Dhabi will host the joint ventures manufacturing operations and Space42s constellation operation services.
Space42 and ICEYE, a global Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellite operator for high-fidelity Earth Observation, announced the creation of a joint venture (JV) to manufacture SAR satellites in the UAE. Focused on satellite manufacturing and deploying SAR satellite missions, this joint venture will directly advance the UAEs Earth Observation (EO) Program, which was created to build national satellite remote sensing and EO capabilities. The joint venture aims to address the growing demand for high-resolution imagery and data from SAR satellites, which can be applied across various use cases.
Space42s new Assembly, Integration, and Testing (AIT) and LEO mission operations facilities in Abu Dhabi will be home to a local SAR ecosystem, hosting the joint ventures manufacturing operations and Space42s constellation operation services. This joint partnership also serves as a platform for technology transfer and knowledge sharing that will ultimately propel national research and development (R&D) efforts for future sovereign SAR payloads. The joint venture strengthens ICEYEs local footprint to support UAEs growing need for SAR and Earth Observation capabilities.
This partnership further seeks to enrich the UAEs industrial ecosystem by localising the supply chain and sourcing components and services from existing industrial players in the UAE and build a strong local body of knowledge for the UAE in SAR with the participation of Emirati talent. It will also support Emiratisation efforts, providing opportunities for national talent to drive innovation and contribute to economic growth and national prosperity.
Commenting on the JV, Hasan Al Hosani, CEO of Bayanat Smart Solutions, Space42, said: The joint venture is a continuation of our ongoing strategic partnership with ICEYE to advance Earth Observation capabilities. It will directly support Space42s commitment to unlocking the full potential of space and ground systems capabilities, ultimately adding customer value through AI-enabled solutions. It also supports the UAEs space ambitions by bringing SAR manufacturing to the region, positioning the nation at the forefront of advancing space technology globally.
Rafal Modrzewski, CEO and Co-founder of ICEYE, added: This joint venture is expected to bring efficiency in deploying, managing and operating SAR constellations as Space42 and ICEYE join forces to address the market in a coordinated approach. We are proud to see our satellite production line extended to manufacture the state-of-the-art SAR technologies in the UAE through our partnership with Space42, enhancing the global reach and positive impact of ICEYEs technology. We are excited to grow ICEYEs local footprint and look forward to accelerating the UAE space program and the local space and SAR capabilities by harnessing the most of both companies expertise for the benefit of the people of the UAE.
The new JV builds on the companies’ previous successful cooperation, which includes the launch of the UAE’s first SAR satellite, Foresight-1, in August 2024. Foresight-1 was launched as part of the UAEs comprehensive SAR constellation, which will continue to grow over the next three years.
