UAE to launch first homegrown commercial satellite, eyes Western markets
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Dubai: The United Arab Emirates plans to launch Altair, its first fully homegrown commercial satellite, this autumn, taking a big step toward its goal of becoming a global space technology exporter.
The Earth observation satellite, developed by Orbitworks in Abu Dhabi, will be launched into a 500-kilometer orbit from California. It is the first of ten projected satellites that will scan the same location every three hours. Altair has inbuilt AI-powered processing using NVIDIA technology, which enables it to analyse images in space and give useful information in minutes rather than hours.
Orbitworks asserts that the satellite is manufactured with US and European components to meet Western export standards. The company has already signed its first European customer and is in discussions with potential purchasers in North America.
The satellite is expected to help with disaster response, wildfire detection, infrastructure monitoring, maritime surveillance, and defence. The project supports the UAE's overall strategy of generating and selling superior space technology rather than importing it.
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