During the year 2025, the UAE has established its position as a global center for advanced technology adn space science, achieving a series of qualitative achievements that reflected its enterprising vision towards building a knowledge-based economy based on innovation, and embodied its growing presence in the space exploration race, and its effective role in building broad international partnerships in this vital sector.
The country began the year 2025 by launching six various satellites, which constituted a new impetus for its journey in building an advanced national space system. The launch of “Thuraya 4” was on the fourth of last January, then the launch of a package that included “Mohammed bin Zayed Sat”, “Al AinSat – 1”, “HCT-SAT 1”, and the second phase of the “Foresight” constellation, on the 14th of the same month, leading to the launch of the satellite. Etihad Sat radar, on March 15, as the frist national radar satellite that falls within an integrated system of advanced monitoring technologies.
At the end of last November, the UAE launched the “Fi-1” satellite, the first standard platform developed within the satellite payload hosting initiative in partnership with the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs.
The first images taken by “Mohamed bin Zayed Sat” and “Etihad Sat” revealed qualitative capabilities in optical and radar imaging, which enhances civil, environmental and marine applications and supports infrastructure and sustainability projects.
Last February,the UAE strengthened its international presence by signing a strategic agreement between the Mohammed bin Rashid space Center and Thales Alenia Space to develop a “pressure equalization unit” within the lunar space station.the UAE will develop and operate the unit for a period of up to 15 years, allowing it a permanent seat and expanded scientific contributions, making it one of the first countries to send an astronaut to the moon. Last May, the center signed an agreement with firefly Aerospace, to be the body responsible for transporting the explorer “Rashid.” 2» to the surface of the moon.
The explorer will be launched to the far side of the moon within the “Blue Ghost” lander mounted on the “Elytra Dark” orbiter, in the second attempt in history to land on this side.
International bodies such as the European Space Agency, NASA, and Australia are participating in the mission, making the UAE among the elite countries embarking on this advanced scientific path.
The Center announced the expansion of its cooperation with the National Center for Space Studies in France to provide “rashid 2” with advanced “CASPEX” cameras and systems that enhance its scientific and research capabilities. It also announced, on the third of last November, the completion of the development of “Rashid 2” after passing a series of precise environmental and mechanical tests within the country, before sending it to the United States in preparation for the 2026 mission.
This December, the center completed a new series of advanced tests on the Rashid 2 explorer, which included examining the electrical, mechanical and software systems between the explorer and the Blue Ghost lunar lander, affiliated with Firefly Aerospace. It also worked on implementing field experiments to simulate the explorer’s exit from the lander, with the aim of
