What the UAE’s new satellite says about disaster relief

When the UAE launched KhalifaSat – its first cutting-edge Earth observation satellite – in October 2018, former Nasa astronaut and administrator Charles Bolden described it as “one more link in the chain of helping us understand our environment”. With the successful launch of an even more advanced Emirati space probe, MBZ-Sat, on Tuesday that chain has just become stronger.

Among the device’s many core functions is its ability to provide advanced images to help those tackling natural or manmade catastrophes. Amar Vora, head of space at Serco Middle East, a consultancy, told The National that the satellite’s powerful camera would “unlock new and improved civilian applications across the UAE and beyond, helping to better manage infrastructure, monitor the environment and support disaster relief, among a range of other uses”.

UAE’s MBZ-Sat successfully launched into space

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MBZ-Sat is the latest example of how the UAE is rethinking preparedness and action in a region that is vulnerable to natural disasters or crises made worse by human activity. The 2023 earthquakes in Syria and Turkey, the Lebanese forest fires of 2019, regular tremors in Iran and recurring drought in Iraq are all examples of deadly challenges that could have been better met with the latest technology. The UAE is well known for sending life-saving aid to disaster zones, but the launch of MBZ-Sat shows that the country is also leveraging its technical and digital know-how in a way that could benefit people at home and abroad.

This collaborative and international approach inherent in MBZ-Sat can be seen in other Emirati initiatives that focus on disaster prevention and relief. This week, it was revealed that Dubai Civil Defence is leading a scheme to help supply essential firefighting equipment and create more fire stations around the world. The 1 Billion Readiness project, which will run until 2027, aims to train and educate one billion people worldwide on fire prevention measures by bringing together 34 countries and 16 major firefighting organisations. As deadly wildfires continue to destroy whole sections of Los Angeles, it is clear that better preventive and reactive measures are needed in a world that is heating up, year on year.

Like the 1 Billion Readiness project, MBZ-Sat is prime for international co-operation. Speaking before its launch on Tuesday, Salem Al Marri, director general of the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre, spoke of “potential collaborations and future projects with our partners”. In April, Abu Dhabi will host a World Crisis and Emergency Management Summit that is aimed at unifying international efforts in response to large-scale crises, emergencies and disasters.

Taken together, these latest developments reveal how disaster preparedness is taking shape in the 21st century. This combination of high-tech approaches, resource and experience-sharing, coupled with public-private partnerships and international co-operation, is a promising and timely mix. As scientists predict more extreme weather and rising temperatures, having eyes in the sky that can provide vital intelligence will not only help inform humanity’s next moves, it could save lives as well.