Abu dhabi: Space42 has successfully shipped three Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellites, Foresight-3, Foresight-4, and Foresight-5, from its Space42 Space Systems facility in Abu Dhabi to the United States. The SAR satellites were manufactured in partnership with ICEYE, the global leader in SAR satellite operations.
According to Emirates News Agency, this milestone marks 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. It advances sovereign resilience and accelerates progress toward the UAE's National Space Strategy 2030.
Anchored in Space42's strategy of becoming the preferred partner for premium geospatial data, this program reaffirms the UAE's leadership in Earth Observation (EO), geospatial intelligence, satellite innovation, and advanced manufacturing.
Khalid Al Awadhi, SVP Earth Observation Systems at Space42, commented on the achievement, noting that it represents a significant step forward for Space42 and the UAE. The successful testing in the UAE of satellites equipped with cutting-edge SAR technology highlights the nation's progress from reliance on imported technology to developing advanced platforms with global partners. These satellites will expand the Foresight Constellation, enhance sovereign capability, and reaffirm the UAE's leadership in next-generation AI-powered space technology.
Foresight-3, -4, and -5 will join Space42's Earth Observation Foresight Constellation, delivering persistent, all-weather imagery at 25-centimeter 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. The imagery is analyzed by Space42's AI platform, GIQ, which provides decision-grade geospatial intelligence for planning, operations, and risk response across government and enterprise sectors.
With two satellites (Foresight-1 launched in August 2024 and -2 launched in January 2025) already in orbit, the addition of Foresight-3, -4, and -5 brings the constellation closer to achieving constellation maturity in 2027. This expansion strengthens Space42's position in the fast-growing market for high-resolution, rapid-delivery EO data.
The development of Foresight-3, -4, and -5 underscores the strength of distributed manufacturing and international collaboration. From production in Finland to AIT in the UAE, the program demonstrates how global partnership accelerates innovation and strengthens supply chain resilience.
The UAE's growing SpaceTech leadership and manufacturing base is supported by domestic AIT capability, Emirati engineering, and collaboration with global partners, ensuring milestones and key activities are met on time and within budget.
Looking ahead, Space42 plans to further grow the constellation through 2027, securing global coverage and strengthening the UAE's position in the global space economy.