UAE's Arab Satellite 813 Completes Post-Launch Assessment Review

en.Wedoany.com Reported - On November 11, the UAE Space Agency announced that Arab Satellite 813 has completed its Post-Launch Assessment Review (PLAR), concluding the initial post-launch operations and commissioning of major equipment, and entering the preparation phase for scientific observation missions. The satellite was developed and is operated under the leadership of the National Space Science and Technology Center (NSSTC) at the United Arab Emirates University, with funding support from the UAE Space Agency. A total of 14 Arab countries participate in the project cooperation. The satellite is primarily tasked with Earth observation, environmental monitoring, and climate research.

Arab Satellite 813 was launched on December 10, 2025. After entering orbit, the project team successively completed launch and early orbit operations, satellite platform status checks, onboard equipment commissioning, and scientific payload testing, and used in-orbit images to verify the operating status of the imaging equipment. This assessment review conducted a comprehensive inspection of the satellite platform, communication links, attitude control, and scientific payload operations, providing a technical basis for subsequent remote sensing data acquisition and scientific mission planning.

The satellite carries three scientific payloads, including a hyperspectral imager, a panchromatic camera, and an atmospheric polarimeter. Among them, the hyperspectral imager has 205 spectral bands and can collect spectral information of different surface features for identifying vegetation, soil, and water body characteristics; the panchromatic camera is responsible for acquiring high-resolution images of the Earth's surface, supporting geographic mapping and surface change monitoring; the atmospheric polarimeter is used to obtain atmospheric polarization information, providing data for atmospheric correction of remote sensing images. The three payloads collect data from the perspectives of spectral, spatial imaging, and atmospheric observation, respectively.

Subsequent satellite data will be used for precision agriculture, water resource management, land cover surveys, coastal zone monitoring, climate research, and natural disaster assessment. Hyperspectral observation data can be used to analyze vegetation health conditions, soil characteristics, and water body changes, while panchromatic images can supplement surface spatial details. The project will also establish a scientific data cooperation mechanism for participating countries, providing remote sensing data and joint research opportunities for scientific research institutions in the 14 Arab countries.

Satellite development and operations are managed by the National Space Science and Technology Center at the United Arab Emirates University, with ground operations facilities located in Al Ain, UAE. The project previously completed satellite assembly, system integration, and environmental testing in the UAE. After launch, the ground team has continued to carry out orbit control, equipment status monitoring, and payload calibration. Following the completion of this round of assessment, the project team will carry out subsequent Earth observation and data application work in accordance with the mission plan.