UAESA (United Arab Emirates Space Agency) Statistics (2026)

The United Arab Emirates Space Agency (UAESA) in 2026 sits on an AED 3 billion National Space Fund (about USD 816–820 million), one of the largest sovereign space investments from an emerging space economy, and a financial base that is underpinning satellite development, commercial partnerships and startup momentum. In 2025 the UAE launched five satellites—Thuraya-4, MBZ‑SAT, Al Ain Sat‑1, HCT‑SAT1 and Arab Satellite 813—and the Emirates Mars Mission (Hope Probe) delivered roughly 9 terabytes of scientific data through 16 public releases to more than 200 research institutions worldwide.

"largest-ever Space Pavilion," the Agency said of its presence at the 19th Dubai Airshow, underscoring a heightened focus on industry engagement, conferences and partnership announcements that accompanied those launches and program milestones.

UAESA’s recent activity ties together deep‑space science, expanded Earth observation capacity and industrial policy. Key program and investment facts include:

• AED 3 billion National Space Fund (USD 816–820 million) intended to boost satellite manufacturing, commercial innovation and private sector participation.
• Five satellites launched in 2025: Thuraya‑4, MBZ‑SAT, Al Ain Sat‑1, HCT‑SAT1 and Arab Satellite 813, the latter noted as a regional collaboration milestone in December 2025.
• Hope Probe outputs: ~9 TB of scientific data shared via 16 public releases to over 200 research institutions, supporting studies of Martian atmospheric dynamics and seasonal climate shifts.
• National Space Academy: 77 graduates from the program’s first two phases, with subsequent cohorts delivered in partnership with Space42 and EDGE Group subsidiary Fada.
• Sirb Programme commitment to at least three Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellites to enhance Earth observation, disaster response and climate monitoring.
• Emirates Mission to the Asteroid Belt (EMA) passing its Critical Design Review and entering Assembly, Integration and Testing (AI&T), with at least 50% of development work to be awarded to UAE‑based private companies and a planned launch in March 2028.
• MBR Explorer project scoped as a 13‑year mission intended to create sustained opportunities for Emirati aerospace companies and technology providers.
• Strategic industry moves at MIITE 2026, including Memoranda of Understanding with Hex20 and Orbital Space as the agency pushes private sector integration aligned with the National Space Strategy 2031.

UAESA’s National Space Strategy 2031 sets a clear economic goal: double the revenues of the national space economy and position the UAE among the world’s top 10 space economies. To meet those targets, the Agency is leveraging sovereign finance, mission pipelines and industry partnerships to move more development work to domestic firms and expand space economic zones.

Looking ahead, the combination of the AED 3 billion fund, EMA’s advance to AI&T and guaranteed domestic contracting for at least half of the EMA’s development creates an industrial runway for suppliers and startups. Ongoing open data from the Hope Probe continues to raise the UAE’s profile in planetary science, while SAR builds under the Sirb Programme promise to strengthen climate monitoring and disaster response capabilities. With MIITE 2026 deals such as the MoUs with Hex20 and Orbital Space and education ties through Space42 and Fada, the UAE is positioning finance, missions and talent development as linked pillars for a market-led expansion of its space sector through 2031.