UAE’s space ambitions take off in a stellar 2025

December 29, 2025 (MLN):  The United Arab Emirates strengthened its standing as a global center for advanced technology and space science in 2025, marked a year of major achievements that highlighted its transition toward a knowledge-based, innovation-driven economy.

Over the course of the year, the UAE significantly expanded its orbital infrastructure and deepened international partnerships, accelerating progress in lunar exploration and Earth observation.

Several strategic satellites were deployed, including Thuraya-4, MBZ-SAT, Al Ain Sat-1, HCT-SAT1 and the Foresight Constellation, APP reported.

The launch of Etihad-SAT delivered the country’s first domestically developed radar satellite capability, while the PHI-1 mission represented the first modular satellite platform created under the Payload Hosting Initiative in collaboration with the UN Office for Outer Space Affairs.

A key milestone came in February when the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) signed a partnership with Thales Alenia Space to develop the Crew and Science Airlock for NASA’s Lunar Gateway.

The 15-year agreement secures a permanent UAE presence aboard the lunar station and positions the country to send its first astronaut to the moon.

Further advancing its lunar ambitions, MBRSC also signed an agreement with Firefly Aerospace to supply the lander for the Rashid 2 Rover mission to the far side of the moon. Cooperation with France’s National Centre for Space Studies was expanded to equip the rover with CASPEX cameras and advanced systems.

Rashid 2 has successfully completed environmental and mechanical testing inside the UAE and has been cleared for shipment to the United States ahead of its planned 2026 launch.

In another landmark achievement, Space42 oversaw the integration and testing of three Synthetic Aperture Radar satellites Foresight-3, Foresight-4 and Foresight-5 within the UAE for the first time.

The satellites will deliver imagery with up to 25-centimetre resolution to support disaster response, climate monitoring and urban planning.

Regional collaboration also gained momentum in December with the launch of the “813” Arab Satellite, a UAE-led initiative aimed at harnessing space-based data to advance sustainable development across the Arab world.

To support long-term growth of the sector, the UAE rolled out advanced satellite engineering programmes through the National Space Academy in partnership with EDGE Group.

Meanwhile, the UAE Space Agency completed the Critical Design Review for the Emirates Mission to the Asteroid Belt, a seven-year endeavour to explore the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter.

Together with the continued scientific output of the Hope Probe’s Mars atmospheric mission, these developments highlight the UAE’s emergence as a leading contributor to global space exploration and advanced technological innovation.

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