UAE Sirb-1 Progress Marks Major Space Programme Milestone

This is a major milestone in the UAE’s national space programme as the nation’s first Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellite, Sirb-1, successfully passed its Critical Design Review (CDR).

The UAE’s national space programme achieved a major step with the successful completion of the Critical Design Review (CDR) for its first Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellite, Sirb-1. The achievement, which was led and funded by the UAE Space Agency and FADA, the UAE’s space arm of the EDGE Group, paves the way for the spacecraft to go into manufacturing, assembly, integration and testing for its scheduled launch in 2028.

UAE Sirb-1 Progress Clears the Way for Manufacturing

The Critical Design Review (or CDR) marks a key technical review and establishes the design is ready to progress to the final development phase of the satellite. The programme is a result of an earlier Preliminary Design Review, which was steps towards establishing UAE’s first national SAR constellation. Manufacturing and assembly activities are now the next important steps prior to launch preparations.

UAE Sirb-1 Progress Advances SAR Technology

Synthetic Aperture Radar also works without having to depend on daylight to take images as opposed to optical satellites. It is also able to gather data under cloud cover, dust and haze condition in order to support a reliable Earth observation in various conditions. It is hoped that those are going to bolster applications such as maritime monitoring, environmental assessment, agriculture and infrastructure management.

UAE Sirb-1 Progress Supports Domestic Space Expertise

The programme stands as a platform for the UAE Space Agency and FADA in conjunction with national organisations, such as Oracle Technology Institute, Orbitworks and UAE Space agency.

 The program seeks to build up local engineering skills and increase indigenous expertise on ground engineering satellite development, payload integration and testing. It also encourages the development of a sustainable national space industry.

UAE Sirb-1 Progress Targets a 2028 Launch

Sirb-1 is to be used as a pathfinder for a constellation of satellites in the low-Earth-orbit environment. The broader programme aims to enhance the UAE’s self-sufficiency in radar imaging and align with the UAE’s aspiration of achieving National Space Strategy 2031. A significant further milestone in the programme’s development will be the targeted launch of the programme in 2028.

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