UAE's MBZ-SAT sends first signal from orbit

Dubai Media Office

The Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) has announced receiving the first signal from the MBZ-SAT satellite and confirmed that all systems are operating efficiently after its launch into orbit.

The Earth observation satellite was launched from the Vandenberg Space Force Base in California aboard SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket on Tuesday at 11:09 PM (UAE time).

MBZ-SAT marks a significant milestone in the UAE's satellite development journey, having been fully developed by Emirati engineers at MBRSC.

The satellite is named in honour of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

The satellite will be operated and managed by the Mission Control Centre at MBRSC, with specialised teams handling operations and analysing the data transmitted to Earth.

MBZ-SAT will be able to capture images with double the precision of previous models while increasing image generation capacity tenfold.

This improvement comes from its integrated scheduling and processing system, which can deliver processed images within two hours of capture.

The satellite will serve multiple functions, including supporting environmental monitoring, infrastructure management, and disaster relief.

More from UAE

  • UAE welcomes UN assessment mission to El Fasher

    Reem Al Hashimy, Minister of State for International Cooperation, has welcomed the United Nations’ assessment mission to El Fasher as an important step toward restoring humanitarian access for civilians who have endured months of siege and deprivation.

  • 30-tonne UAE aid shipment reaches Gaza to combat malnutrition

    A humanitarian aid convoy provided by the UAE's Saqr bin Mohammed Al Qasimi Foundation for Charity and Humanitarian Work has entered the Gaza Strip under Operation Chivalrous Knight 3, carrying vital therapeutic and preventive supplies for children and women.

  • Dubai Police crack down on e-bike violations

    Dubai Police have taken firm action against 90 individuals for riding electric bikes in a reckless and dangerous manner on sports tracks and dedicated scooter lanes at Kite Beach.

  • UAE condemns mosque bombing in Syria’s Homs

    The UAE has strongly condemned the bombing at a mosque in Homs, central Syria, which left a number of civilians dead and injured.