In recent years, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has racked up impressive off-planet achievements, from sending an astronaut to space to reaching Mars orbit with its Hope Probe.
Now, with countries around the world focusing on building sovereign satellite networks, amid geopolitical tensions, a UAE company is working to mass manufacture commercial satellites.
Abu Dhabi-based Orbitworks is developing AI-enabled satellites that will form a 10-satellite Earth observation constellation called Altair, useful for everything from military intelligence gathering to environmental monitoring. A joint venture between Abu Dhabi’s Marlan Space and San Francisco-based Loft Orbital, Orbitworks plans to launch the first satellite in October.
Today, US-based SpaceX accounts for about 69% of all active satellites, according to the tracking website Orbital Radar. But Canada has plans to launch hundreds of new satellites to safeguard its national sovereignty, reducing reliance on Washington, and the European Union is developing its own network of 290 satellites.
Orbitworks describes itself as helping to “build sovereign space capability in the UAE.”
