Bayanat and Al Yah Satellite (Yahsat) Communications – two leading tech companies in the UAE – have entered into a partnership with Finland’s ICEYE, the well-known Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellite manufacturer.
Bayanat is a leading provider of AI-powered geospatial solutions, and Yahsat is the UAE’s flagship satellite solutions provider. Along with ICEYE, the comprehensive space program is aimed at building national satellite remote sensing and Earth Observation (EO) capabilities within the UAE to commercially address business opportunities in the local and global EO market.
SAR is an active sensing system that illuminates the Earth’s surface and measures the reflected signal to generate high-resolution images. Unlike traditional optical imaging satellites, SAR can capture images day and night, regardless of weather conditions or solar illumination.
Compared to other new space SAR satellite services, ICEYE’s radar antenna covers much larger geographical areas and also provides higher-resolution images of smaller areas.
Bayanat’s program aims to develop a constellation of at least five SAR low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites to provide a consistent data stream for end-to-end solutions for SAR applications.
It will cover the entire value chain by leveraging the available synergies in Yahsat’s upstream and midstream capabilities, including its leading satellite infrastructure as well as the wide spectrum of its rapidly growing satellite-enabled innovative solutions, and Bayanat’s downstream capabilities such as advanced AI and data analytics and will significantly enhance the company’s commercial offerings by providing valuable geospatial insights to various industries in a timely and accurate manner.
The launch of the first LEO satellite is scheduled for Q1 2024.
The program will boost the space ecosystem in the UAE, including the development of in-country satellite manufacturing capabilities. It will deliver a range of strategic benefits for the nation, including access to sovereign SAR data acquisition, enhancing data privacy, and further building the nation’s resident capabilities for space exploration.
In addition, the program will fuel collaboration between vital strategic players in the UAE’s space ecosystem, strengthen the country’s position in space technology and open new possibilities for Bayanat, Yahsat and the UAE’s future space exploration endeavors.
Hasan AlHosani, CEO of Bayanat, said: “This will significantly enhance Bayanat’s existing offerings to provide more comprehensive and high-quality services to clients both locally and internationally. The partnership between Bayanat and ICEYE, in collaboration with Yahsat, will drive the development of a sovereign EO ecosystem which will enable us to provide cutting-edge solutions.
“We are excited to be at the forefront of this dynamic and rapidly evolving field and looking forward to developing a commercial space program in the UAE.”
Ali Al Hashemi, Group CEO of Yahsat, said: “Yahsat is committed to join forces with various commercial and government-related entities to strengthen the UAE’s leadership in the space sector in the MENA region, supported by Yahsat’s world-class infrastructure and suite of innovative solutions. We are also advancing new segments such as earth observation, in-country manufacturing and building the national capacities in the space sector.”
Rafal Modrzewski, CEO and co-founder of ICEYE, said: “ICEYE is honoured to contribute to Bayanat’s space programme in meeting the sophisticated imagery requirements from their customers in the UAE. Until the launch next year, we will be providing access to our satellites already in orbit, so Bayanat can start utilising radar satellite imagery for the benefit of their public and private sector customers.”
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