{"id":175878,"date":"2025-11-12T00:55:13","date_gmt":"2025-11-12T00:55:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/175878\/"},"modified":"2025-11-12T00:55:13","modified_gmt":"2025-11-12T00:55:13","slug":"abu-dhabi-reaches-for-the-stars-with-launch-of-space-site-that-can-produce-50-satellites-a-year","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/175878\/","title":{"rendered":"Abu Dhabi reaches for the stars with launch of space site that can produce 50 satellites a year"},"content":{"rendered":"

A space manufacturing facility capable of producing 50 satellites<\/a> a year has opened in Abu Dhabi<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Orbitworks, a company formed as a partnership between Abu Dhabi’s Marlan Space and San Francisco\u2019s Loft Orbital, has opened a satellite assembly, integration and testing centre in the emirate’s Kezad economic zone.<\/p>\n

The factory could help the country produce satellites that can be sold to clients locally and around the world, rather than relying on imports.<\/p>\n

Dr Hamdullah Mohib, acting chief executive of Orbitworks and chief executive of Marlan Space, said the goal was to become a leading exporter to \u201cgovernments and commercial clients\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur focus, when we set up this facility, was to be a large, commercially driven entity,” he added.<\/p>\n

The facility spans 4,645 square metres and currently handles satellites weighing up to 500kg. \u201cIt has been the ambition for many in this region to try to build a capability like this,\u201d Dr Mohib said. \u201cIt’s very much needed because the space race is growing and the need for these satellites is increasing. <\/p>\n

\u201cWhat we are unveiling is an enabler for our future growth in the UAE and offering solutions [so we no longer have to] import from other countries.\u201d<\/p>\n

Creating jobs <\/b><\/p>\n

Dr Mohib said the project is already creating jobs and opportunities for Emiratis and foreign residents. There are 35 people employed so far and that will rise to 53 by the end of this year.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are creating very high-level, high-tech jobs,\u201d he added. \u201cThey are not jobs for ordinary factory workers. They are very high-skilled jobs and will have a significant impact on the economy. <\/p>\n

\u201cWe are also training Emirati staff so that knowledge-transfer takes place over the next few years. Our first employee was an Emirati. We will continue to grow.\u201d<\/p>\n

Altair constellation<\/b><\/p>\n

Orbitworks is also developing its own satellite constellation called Altair, which translates from Arabic to “the flying one”. It will initially be made up of 10 satellites designed to provide near real-time Earth observation intelligence.<\/p>\n

Each satellite integrates optical, infrared, thermal and radio frequency sensors with on-board AI processing. When the sensors detect activity of interest, the satellites automatically capture detailed imagery and process it into immediate information that clients can use. <\/p>\n

\u201cThese multiple sensors can turn the satellites into information providers, not just image takers,\u201d explained Dr Mohib.<\/p>\n

He said the information could be valuable to companies like Adnoc, which could monitor facilities including pipelines, storage and oil rigs at sea and onshore.<\/p>\n

\u201cInstead of taking pictures and sending them every hour, the satellite could see if there is a leak or damage to any of the installations,\u201d said Dr Mohib. The information would be relayed immediately, he added.<\/p>\n

He believes the system could also be useful in agriculture, climate monitoring, maritime logistics and disaster response. The first of the 10 satellites in the constellation is expected to be ready by the second half of next year.<\/p>\n

Dr Mohib said the new company is combining the \u201cspeed and mindset of a start-up\u201d with the resources and long-term vision of the UAE. <\/p>\n

\u201cSatellites are usually built over a period of 18 months to three years,\u201d he said. \u201cWe have not only built the facility, but also a team, and we have started designing and engineering our first constellation.\u201d<\/p>\n

The project has already drawn international interest and a western European client has already been secured. <\/p>\n

The launch event on Tuesday was attended by members of the UAE space community, including the UAE Space Agency, Space42 and the Edge Group, as well as Emirati astronauts Nora Al Matrooshi and Mohammad Al Mulla.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis project supports efforts to build a sustainable space economy based on knowledge and innovation and driven by advanced technology,\u201d said Dr Ahmad Al Falasi, chairman of the UAE Space Agency. \u201cIt also underscores the growing role of the national private sector in advancing the UAE\u2019s vision to establish a world-class, integrated and pioneering space industry.\u201d<\/p>\n

Abaya trends<\/p>\n

The utilitarian robe held dear by Arab women is undergoing a change that reveals it as an elegant and graceful garment available in a range of colours and fabrics, while retaining its traditional appeal.<\/p>\n

The Facility\u2019s Versatility<\/p>\n

Between the start of the 2020 IPL on September 20, and the end of the Pakistan Super League this coming Thursday, the Zayed Cricket Stadium has had an unprecedented amount of traffic.
Never before has a ground in this country \u2013 or perhaps anywhere in the world \u2013 had such a volume of major-match cricket.
And yet scoring has remained high, and Abu Dhabi has seen some classic encounters in every format of the game.
\u00a0
October 18, IPL, Kolkata Knight Riders tied with Sunrisers Hyderabad<\/strong>
The two playoff-chasing sides put on 163 apiece, before Kolkata went on to win the Super Over
\u00a0
January 8, ODI, UAE beat Ireland by six wickets<\/strong>
A century by CP Rizwan underpinned one of UAE\u2019s greatest ever wins, as they chased 270 to win with an over to spare
\u00a0
February 6, T10, Northern Warriors beat Delhi Bulls by eight wickets<\/strong>
The final of the T10 was chiefly memorable for a ferocious over of fast bowling from Fidel Edwards to Nicholas Pooran
\u00a0
March 14, Test, Afghanistan beat Zimbabwe by six wickets<\/strong>
Eleven wickets for Rashid Khan, 1,305 runs scored in five days, and a last session finish
\u00a0
June 17, PSL, Islamabad United beat Peshawar Zalmi by 15 runs<\/strong>
Usman Khawaja scored a hundred as Islamabad posted the highest score ever by a Pakistan team in T20 cricket<\/p>\n

Company Profile<\/p>\n

Name:<\/strong> Thndr
Started:<\/strong> 2019
Co-founders:<\/strong> Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr
Sector:<\/strong> FinTech
Headquarters:<\/strong> Egypt
UAE base:<\/strong> Hub71, Abu Dhabi
Current number of staff:<\/strong> More than 150
Funds raised:<\/strong> $22 million <\/p>\n

The specS: 2018 Toyota Camry<\/p>\n

Price: base \/ as tested: Dh91,000 \/ Dh114,000<\/p>\n

Engine: 3.5-litre V6<\/p>\n

Gearbox: Eight-speed automatic<\/p>\n

Power: 298hp @ 6,600rpm<\/p>\n

Torque: 356Nm @ 4,700rpm<\/p>\n

Fuel economy, combined: 7.0L \/ 100km<\/p>\n

BIRD%20BOX%20BARCELONA<\/p>\n

%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirectors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20David%20and%20Alex%20Pastor%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EGeorgina%20Campbell%2C%20Mario%20Casas%2C%20Diego%20Calva%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A<\/p>\n

More from UAE Human Development Report:Ferrari 12Cilindri specs<\/p>\n

Engine:<\/strong> naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12<\/p>\n

Power: <\/strong>819hp<\/p>\n

Torque: <\/strong>678Nm at 7,250rpm<\/p>\n

Price: <\/strong>From Dh1,700,000<\/p>\n

Available: <\/strong>Now<\/p>\n

AT%20A%20GLANCE<\/p>\n

%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EWindfall%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3EAn%20%E2%80%9Cenergy%20profits%20levy%E2%80%9D%20to%20raise%20about%20%C2%A35%20billion%20in%20a%20year.%20The%20temporary%20one-off%20tax%20will%20hit%20oil%20and%20gas%20firms%20by%2025%20per%20cent%20on%20extraordinary%20profits.%20An%2080%20per%20cent%20investment%20allowance%20should%20calm%20Conservative%20nerves%20that%20the%20move%20will%20dent%20North%20Sea%20firms%E2%80%99%20investment%20to%20save%20them%2091p%20for%20every%20%C2%A31%20they%20spend.%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EA%20universal%20grant%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3EEnergy%20bills%20discount%2C%20which%20was%20effectively%20a%20%C2%A3200%20loan%2C%20has%20doubled%20to%20a%20%C2%A3400%20discount%20on%20bills%20for%20all%20households%20from%20October%20that%20will%20not%20need%20to%20be%20paid%20back.%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETargeted%20measures%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3EMore%20than%20eight%20million%20of%20the%20lowest%20income%20households%20will%20receive%20a%20%C2%A3650%20one-off%20payment.%20It%20will%20apply%20to%20households%20on%20Universal%20Credit%2C%20Tax%20Credits%2C%20Pension%20Credit%20and%20legacy%20benefits.%3Cbr%3ESeparate%20one-off%20payments%20of%20%C2%A3300%20will%20go%20to%20pensioners%20and%20%C2%A3150%20for%20those%20receiving%20disability%20benefits.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A<\/p>\n

Where to donate in the UAE<\/p>\n

The Emirates Charity Portal <\/a><\/p>\n

You can donate to several registered charities through a \u201cdonation catalogue\u201d. The use of the donation is quite specific, such as buying a fan for a poor family in Niger for Dh130.<\/p>\n

The General Authority of Islamic Affairs & Endowments<\/a><\/p>\n

The site has an e-donation service accepting debit card, credit card or e-Dirham, an electronic payment tool developed by the Ministry of Finance and First Abu Dhabi Bank.<\/p>\n

Al Noor Special Needs Centre<\/a><\/p>\n

You can donate online or order Smiles n\u2019 Stuff products handcrafted by Al Noor students. The centre publishes a wish list of extras needed, starting at Dh500.<\/p>\n

Beit Al Khair Society<\/a><\/p>\n

Beit Al Khair Society has the motto \u201cFrom \u2013 and to \u2013 the UAE,\u201d with donations going towards the neediest in the country. Its website has a list of physical donation sites, but people can also contribute money by SMS, bank transfer and through the hotline 800-22554.<\/p>\n

Dar Al Ber Society<\/a><\/p>\n

Dar Al Ber Society, which has charity projects in 39 countries, accept cash payments, money transfers or SMS donations. Its donation hotline is 800-79.<\/p>\n

Dubai Cares<\/a><\/p>\n

Dubai Cares provides several options for individuals and companies to donate, including online, through banks, at retail outlets, via phone and by purchasing Dubai Cares branded merchandise. It is currently running a campaign called Bookings 2030<\/a>, which allows people to help change the future of six underprivileged children and young people.<\/p>\n

Emirates Airline Foundation<\/a><\/p>\n

Those who travel on Emirates have undoubtedly seen the little donation envelopes in the seat pockets. But the foundation also accepts donations online and in the form of Skywards Miles. Donated miles are used to sponsor travel for doctors, surgeons, engineers and other professionals volunteering on humanitarian missions around the world.<\/p>\n

Emirates Red Crescent<\/a><\/p>\n

On the Emirates Red Crescent website you can choose between 35 different purposes for your donation, such as providing food for fasters, supporting debtors and contributing to a refugee women fund. It also has a list of bank accounts for each donation type.<\/p>\n

Gulf for Good<\/a><\/p>\n

Gulf for Good raises funds for partner charity projects through challenges, like climbing Kilimanjaro and cycling through Thailand. This year\u2019s projects are in partnership with Street Child Nepal, Larchfield Kids, the Foundation for African Empowerment and SOS Children’s Villages. Since 2001, the organisation has raised more than $3.5 million (Dh12.8m) in support of over 50 children\u2019s charities.<\/p>\n

Noor Dubai Foundation<\/a><\/p>\n

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum launched the Noor Dubai Foundation a decade ago with the aim of eliminating all forms of preventable blindness globally. You can donate Dh50 to support mobile eye camps by texting the word \u201cNoor\u201d to 4565 (Etisalat) or 4849 (du).<\/p>\n

The Sand Castle <\/p>\n

Director: <\/strong>Matty Brown<\/p>\n

Stars:<\/strong> Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea<\/p>\n

Rating:<\/strong> 2.5\/5<\/p>\n

Ant-Man%20and%20the%20Wasp%3A%20Quantumania<\/p>\n

%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EPeyton%20Reed%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Paul%20Rudd%2C%20Evangeline%20Lilly%2C%20Jonathan%20Majors%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A<\/p>\n

BUNDESLIGA FIXTURES<\/p>\n

Saturday, May 16\u00a0<\/strong>(kick-offs UAE time)<\/p>\n

Borussia Dortmund v Schalke (4.30pm)\u00a0
RB Leipzig v Freiburg (4.30pm)\u00a0
Hoffenheim v Hertha Berlin\u00a0(4.30pm)\u00a0
Fortuna Dusseldorf v Paderborn\u00a0 (4.30pm)\u00a0
Augsburg v Wolfsburg (4.30pm)\u00a0
Eintracht Frankfurt v Borussia Monchengladbach (7.30pm)<\/p>\n

Sunday, May 17<\/strong><\/p>\n

Cologne v Mainz (4.30pm),
Union Berlin v Bayern Munich (7pm)<\/p>\n

Monday, May 18<\/strong><\/p>\n

Werder Bremen v Bayer Leverkusen (9.30pm)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"A space manufacturing facility capable of producing 50 satellites a year has opened in Abu Dhabi. Orbitworks, a…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":175879,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[270],"tags":[3820,18,19,17,133,451,1702,1217,3818,3821],"class_list":{"0":"post-175878","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-space","8":"tag-abu-dhabi","9":"tag-eire","10":"tag-ie","11":"tag-ireland","12":"tag-science","13":"tag-space","14":"tag-standard","15":"tag-story","16":"tag-uae","17":"tag-uae-desk-team"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@ie\/115534006706225132","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/175878","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=175878"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/175878\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/175879"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=175878"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=175878"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=175878"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}