The UAE’s first commercially built satellite is in orbit

The UAE has put its first commercially built satellite into orbit. Altair-1, built by Orbitworks in Abu Dhabi, has successfully deployed from SpaceX’s Transporter-18 rideshare mission and entered its planned orbit.

Altair-1 is the first of 10 satellites that will form an AI-enabled Earth observation constellation, with the full constellation planned for completion by 2027.

What is on board

The satellites combine 5 sensing technologies:

• Optical

• Shortwave infrared

• Thermal

• Hyperspectral

• Radio frequency

Onboard NVIDIA GPUs allow the spacecraft to process data directly in orbit, turning observations into usable intelligence within minutes. That could mean detecting a wildfire from its earliest heat signature, identifying vessels at sea, or monitoring activity across difficult-to-access areas without waiting for data to return to Earth.

Built locally

Orbitworks’ facility in KEZAD spans around 50,000 sq ft, including a 15,000 sq ft ISO cleanroom and dedicated systems for satellite testing and environmental qualification. At full capacity, it is designed to produce up to 50 satellites per year.

A capability that did not exist

Just a few years ago, this capability did not exist in the UAE. Now a satellite manufactured in Abu Dhabi is orbiting Earth. And Altair-1 is only number 1 of 10.