• Satellites are launched to detect oil leaks, monitor desertification and maritime activity as well as support food security, urban planning and agriculture.
• Both the UAE and Bahrain have set a new benchmark in sustainable space operations with the latest take-off at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California.

The Middle East raised the sustainability bar after the UAE and Bahrain successfully launched their satellites—Etihad-SAT and Al-Munther—recently for environmental monitoring and scientific research.

SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket took off with the satellites on Sunday from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. This will reinforce their space programmes and ratchet up their green efforts in technology development and environmental sustainability.

The UAE’s Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) developed Etihad-SAT, which features radar technology for capturing high-precision images in different weather conditions. This will come in handy for identifying oil spills, supporting agriculture, and monitoring maritime activities.

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Bahrain's Al-Munther is its first domestically designed and developed satellite. This 3U CubeSat employs artificial intelligence (AI) to process satellite images in space, which reduces data transmission to Earth. This satellite has been particularly designed for monitoring desertification, urban planning, and food security.

Reem Abdulla Senan, head of satellite communication operations, said: "One of the most significant achievements of the Al-Munther mission is the development of a Bahraini-operated software system to manage the satellite and its payloads.

"This not only advances the nationalisation of space technologies but also strengthens Bahrain’s autonomy in satellite operations. The software enables the satellite to efficiently carry out its designated tasks, including data collection, processing and transmission to Earth."

Mohammed Ibrahim Al-Aseeri, CEO of the National Space Science Agency, said: "The successful launch of Bahrain’s Al-Munther satellite into orbit marks a major milestone in the kingdom’s space journey.

"I take immense pride in the achievements of the National Space Science Agency team, who have successfully placed Al-Munther in orbit, paving the way for initial operations and in-orbit system testing."

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Source: Arab News