Space42 expands Earth observation capabilities, with 3 Foresight SAR satellites entering full operation

Space42, the UAE-based AI-powered SpaceTech company _with global reach, today announced that the Foresight-3, Foresight-4, and Foresight-5 satellites are fully operational. This milestone advances the Foresight Earth Observation (EO) constellation, now comprising five Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellites, enabling continuous data acquisition and decision-grade geospatial intelligence.

The three satellites were manufactured in partnership with ICEYE in Finland, supporting technology transfer and sustainable access to capabilities, while localizing the supply chain. Aligned with this mandate, critical integration and testing processes were completed at Space42’s Space Systems’ Assembly, Integration and Testing (AIT) facility in Abu Dhabi.

Hasan Al Hosani, CEO of Smart Solutions at Space42, said: “With Foresight-3, -4, and -5 now live, we are expanding sovereign Earth observation with greater speed and consistency to governments, industries, and partners worldwide. The collaboration with ICEYE and proven operational success within the Space42 Space Systems facility, has strengthened national capability to a level that competes with and scales across global markets. The constellation further delivers against our strategy to become the preferred partner for premium geospatial data, while growing the UAE’s position in a dynamic, mission-critical industry.”

Foresight-3, -4, and -5 extend coverage in mid-inclined, low Earth orbit, strengthening monitoring across strategically important regions where more than 90 per cent of the world’s population resides. The Foresight constellation provides SAR imagery to Space42’s AI-powered geospatial intelligence platform, GIQ, which converts raw data into decision-grade intelligence within minutes. By operating across complementary orbits, the system maintains consistent performance at all times of day.

It delivers 25-centimeter resolution and all-weather imaging, enabling reliable detection of small-scale changes on Earth from space. GIQ processes this data into actionable outputs, helping reduce emergency response times by up to 90 per cent, predictive maintenance costs by up to 30 per cent, and operational inefficiencies by up to 25 per cent.

Demand for EO is accelerating as governments and industries rely on geospatial intelligence to manage risk, optimise operations, and support climate and security objectives. By 2030, EO insights are projected to generate more than US$700 billion in economic value and contribute to emissions reduction across multiple sectors.

The UAE is positioning itself as a leading supplier of advanced EO capabilities, supported by its National Space Strategy 2030 and investments in sovereign infrastructure, AI integration, and local manufacturing. The expansion of Space42’s Foresight constellation supports this ambition by combining space-based data acquisition with AI-driven analytics.