UAE prioritises satellites as strategic space asset
Fortune Melissa Hancock
The UAE is prioritizing satellites as a strategic national asset while shifting its space activity toward commercial communications, Earth observation, and deep-space efforts. The UAE-backed Space42 plans Equatys with Viasat, committing up to $1 billion in equity and starting with fewer than 200 satellites before expanding to 2,800. This accelerates investment and operations across UAE satellite connectivity and geospatial intelligence, with satellite projects increasingly feeding national-security and infrastructure use cases rather than staying purely exploratory.
Why it matters
As the UAE expands its satellite capabilities and attracts new investment, its space program is taking on growing commercial and strategic significance
