According to the Vietnam News Agency correspondent in the Middle East, on October 2, Altair-1, the first commercial satellite built by the United Arab Emirates (UAE), was successfully launched into orbit, marking a new step forward for the country in the space race.
Altair-1 was designed and assembled in Abu Dhabi, UAE, by Orbitworks, a company formed through a partnership between Marlan Space (UAE) and Loft Orbital (USA).
UAE Sports Minister and Chairman of the UAE Space Agency Ahmad Al Falasi assessed the launch as reflecting the growing capabilities of the UAE's national space ecosystem in research and manufacturing using advanced space technology.
According to Al Falasi, within the framework of the National Space Strategy 2031, the UAE is integrating research, industry, and investment sectors to facilitate domestic businesses in innovation, development, and contributing to the diversification of the economy .
Altair-1 demonstrates how the UAE's developing capabilities can create commercial solutions that extend beyond national borders, expanding markets and international partnerships for UAE businesses. This satellite is part of the goal to make the UAE one of the world's top 10 space economies by 2031.
Each satellite in the Altair constellation incorporates five types of sensors: optical, shortwave infrared, thermal, hyperspectral, and radio frequency. When fully operational in 2027, this constellation is expected to be able to observe any location on Earth approximately every four hours.
Thanks to their autonomous operation and real-time data processing capabilities, Altair satellites can support early detection of wildfires, identify vessels operating illegally or secretly at sea, and serve in disaster response, maritime surveillance, environmental monitoring, food security, infrastructure monitoring, and national security missions.
Altair-1 is the first satellite in a planned deployment of 10 satellites, enabling customers to independently observe, analyze, and make decisions based on data processed by artificial intelligence (AI) technology right in orbit.
Loft Orbital CEO Pierre-Damien Vaujour stated that the Altair-1 launch demonstrates the UAE's growing role in the global space industry.
This event paves the way for plans to deploy 10 more satellites in the next 12 months and 50 more in the following years, demonstrating the UAE's ambition to become a hub for manufacturing and operating AI-powered satellite constellations.
Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/uae-phong-thanh-cong-ve-tinh-thuong-mai-dau-tien-tu-che-tao-vao-quy-dao-post1139801.vnp
