Abu Dhabi-based satellite manufacturer Orbitworks has officially unveiled Altair, the UAE’s first domestically built, AI-enabled Earth observation satellite constellation, at the Make it in the Emirates Forum.
Comprising ten advanced satellites, Altair marks a turning point for the UAE’s space ambitions, transitioning the nation from satellite developer to commercial-scale satellite manufacturer.
Altair, named after the Arabic “al-nisr al-ṭāʾir” (النسر الطائر), meaning “the flying eagle”, will be assembled at Orbitworks’ 50,000 sq ft facility in KEZAD, the only commercial-scale satellite production site in the Middle East.
Orbitworks is a 2024 joint venture between Marlan Space (affiliated with IHC) and US-based Loft Orbital, with an initial investment exceeding $100 million.
Why It Matters:
- Sovereign Capability: Altair marks the UAE’s entry into the elite group of nations that design, build, and operate their own satellite fleets, making it only the second in the Middle East after Israel.
- Industrial Growth: Orbitworks can produce up to 50 satellites per year, anchoring a new high-tech vertical aligned with the UAE’s Operation 300bn industrial strategy.
- Strategic Applications: Altair’s multi-sensor payloads, including optical, thermal, hyperspectral, and RF sensors, combined with onboard AI, will support national security, smart city infrastructure, agriculture, disaster response, and more.
Key Specs and Capabilities:
- In-orbit edge computing for real-time data processing
- Sub-meter optical imaging and multispectral analysis
- Based on Loft Orbital’s Longbow platform, derived from Airbus’s Arrow bus (650+ flight heritage)
- Eight-year lifespan with maneuverability and onboard autonomy
- Launches begin in 2026, with production starting H2 2025
Orbitworks Infrastructure & Collaboration:
The KEZAD facility includes a 15,000 sq ft ISO-class cleanroom, electromagnetic interference test chambers, thermal vacuum systems, and shaker tables, enabling end-to-end satellite production and qualification.
Orbitworks will also provide hosted payloads, rideshare options, and capacity-building programmes for sovereign and commercial clients, while inviting AI firms to deploy apps directly to orbit.
Altair builds on the UAE’s space legacy initiated by KhalifaSat in 2018, its first fully Emirati-engineered satellite, and signals the nation’s evolution from satellite buyer to manufacturer.
With the global small satellite market projected to surpass $7.4 billion by 2030, the UAE is carving out a sovereign niche in the commercial space race.
