Revealed: First set of photos of Abu Dhabi, Dubai taken by Etihad-SAT and MBZ-SAT

If you ever had a doubt about how picturesque UAE looks from space, the MBR Space Centre has put all those doubts to bed.

On October 7, The Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre tweeted two images taken from the Etihad-SAT mission, which was launched into orbit in March, and images captured by MBZ-SAT, the most advanced satellite in the region.

The images were shared on the occasion of World Space Week (October 4-10).

"MBZ-SAT and Etihad-SAT represent distinct yet complementary technologies, working in tandem to provide a more comprehensive picture of Earth than ever before," the centre siad in a statement. "Named in honour of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, MBZ-SAT, which was launched in January 2025, is the most advanced satellite in the region using optical imaging. Etihad-SAT, launched in March 2025, is the Centre’s first Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellite, designed to capture data in all weather and lighting conditions. Together, these satellites deliver consistent, high-quality data."

Meanwhile, Salem AlMarri, the director general of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre, explained that the images shared by MBZ-SAT are of Qasr Al Watan in Abu Dhabi and Expo City Dubai. He tweeted: “MBZ-SAT marks a major step forward for the UAE’s space sector. Developed by our Emirati team in collaboration with the national space industry, the satellite is now in orbit, capturing ten times more images than conventional satellites, with twice the accuracy of previous systems.”