Abu Dhabi’s Al Yah Satellite Communications (Yahsat) and geospatial service and data provider Bayanat announced a comprehensive Space Program to build national satellite remote sensing and Earth Observation (EO) capabilities in the UAE.  

The program aims to expand and commercially address business opportunities in the local and global EO market, Banayat said in a press statement. 

Hasan AlHosani, CEO of Bayanat, said, “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 while contributing to skill development, scientific advancements, and sustained economic growth.”

Banayat and Yahsat aim to develop at least five SAR low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites to provide a consistent data stream for end-to-end solutions for SAR applications as part of the program. 

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.