Photo Credit : WAM
Space42 has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening the UAE’s space technology ecosystem by accelerating the localisation of advanced satellite manufacturing and Earth observation capabilities within the country.
Speaking to the Emirates News Agency (WAM) during the Make it in the Emirates 2026 forum, Hasan Al Hosani, Chief Executive Officer of Smart Solutions at Space42, said the company is steadily transforming the UAE’s ambitions in space technology into fully integrated industrial, operational and sovereign capabilities.
Al Hosani explained that Space42 is developing a complete ecosystem capable of designing, assembling, integrating, testing and operating advanced space technologies locally, while also leveraging artificial intelligence to convert satellite data into practical insights for governments, businesses and critical industries.
He noted that the company’s Foresight constellation reflects this strategy, with Space42 progressively localising major stages of the value chain in the UAE, including the assembly, integration and testing of advanced Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellites.
The company recently launched Space42 Space Systems in Abu Dhabi, the region’s first Earth observation satellite Assembly, Integration and Testing (AIT) facility. According to Al Hosani, the launch of Foresight-3, Foresight-4 and Foresight-5 marks a significant milestone, as they are the first SAR satellites to be integrated and tested within the UAE.
He said the achievement demonstrates the country’s transition from knowledge transfer to building tangible industrial expertise, while supporting the development of advanced sovereign capabilities in Earth observation technologies.
Al Hosani added that localisation is being approached as a long-term strategy aimed at building sustainable industrial expertise and production capacity across the entire space technology value chain.
He said Space42 is focused on expanding local capabilities in satellite design, development and operations, while also nurturing Emirati technical talent and enhancing cooperation with industrial partners, government bodies and private sector organisations.
Artificial intelligence remains central to the company’s operations through its GIQ geospatial intelligence platform, which gathers and analyses data from satellites, high-altitude platforms and ground sensors. The platform supports a range of applications, including disaster management, infrastructure monitoring, urban planning, national security and environmental monitoring.
Al Hosani said these advanced capabilities help improve decision-making speed and accuracy, enhance operational efficiency and further strengthen the UAE’s position as a regional hub for the development and export of Earth observation technologies.
