Loft Orbital, a startup specializing in satellite services, has recently announced a partnership with Marlan Space, a space company based in Abu Dhabi, to establish a joint venture called Orbitworks. This joint venture aims to revolutionize satellite manufacturing in the Middle East by becoming the first commercial firm in the United Arab Emirates to mass-produce satellites. The venture has received a significant investment of over $100 million from a holding company affiliated with an Emirati royal family, highlighting the growing interest and investment in the region’s space industry.
The majority ownership of Orbitworks lies with Marlan Space, which is affiliated with the International Holding Company (IHC). IHC, in turn, is majority controlled by the Royal Group, a conglomerate owned by the ruling royal family of Abu Dhabi. This partnership underscores the commitment of the UAE to developing its space capabilities and establishing itself as a key player in the global space industry.
The UAE has been making significant strides in the field of space exploration, with the establishment of the UAE Space Agency (UAESA) less than a decade ago. The government has invested billions of dollars in developing homegrown capabilities and forging partnerships with other countries and commercial entities. In 2019, the UAE sent its first astronaut to the International Space Station (ISS), marking a significant milestone in the country’s space ambitions. Two years later, the UAE became one of the few nations to successfully put a probe into Martian orbit, further solidifying its position in the space industry.
Apart from UAESA, several key players contribute to the UAE’s growing space ecosystem, including Space42, a merger of Emirati satellite firm Yahsat and data analytics company Bayanat, and EDGE Group, a prominent industrial prime. Additionally, universities and research institutions like the National Space and Science Technology Center play a crucial role in advancing space research and technology in the country. The UAE is now looking to deploy satellite constellations and bring satellite manufacturing capabilities in-house, with the establishment of Orbitworks being a significant step in that direction.
Loft Orbital CEO, Pierre-Damien Vaujour, expressed his long-standing interest in the UAE’s space ecosystem, stating, “Even when we started Loft, I had in mind at the very beginning that I wanted to open activities in the UAE and contribute to the ecosystem over there.” Loft Orbital, based in San Francisco, specializes in purchasing satellite buses in bulk and flying payloads for customers using a standardized modular payload adaptor that integrates the customer’s hardware with the spacecraft. The company handles all launch integration and spacecraft operations once the satellite reaches orbit, offering services such as “virtual missions” where customers can deploy applications leveraging onboard sensors, compute, and cameras.
Vaujour highlighted Loft’s flexible hardware as a key asset that will enable the joint venture with Marlan to collaborate with a diverse range of emerging players in the Middle East’s space ecosystem. He emphasized Loft’s ability to work with various payload suppliers, bus or subsystem providers, ground station providers, and cloud providers, providing the JV with a comprehensive playbook for satellite production, operations, and technology. Orbitworks plans to manufacture up to fifty 500-kilogram satellites annually, with the hardware for the first ten satellites already secured. The venture will operate out of a 50,000 square-foot facility in Abu Dhabi, with the first satellite platform expected to be assembled, integrated, and tested by early 2025.
In establishing agreements with Marlan, Loft Orbital has ensured compliance with U.S. regulations and export licenses. Loft’s separate entity, Loft Federal, will continue to deliver work for classified contracts for U.S. national security customers. Vaujour emphasized that the creation of this new entity, with a mandate to become the national champion for satellite constellation production and operation in the UAE, represents a significant development in the country’s space industry. He expressed optimism about the potential for scaling up the venture to meet the ambitious goals set by the country, the region, and the international space community.
The Future of Satellite Manufacturing in the Middle East
The partnership between Loft Orbital and Marlan Space to establish Orbitworks marks a significant milestone in the development of the UAE’s domestic satellite manufacturing capabilities. With a focus on mass-producing satellites, the joint venture aims to position the UAE as a key player in the global space industry. By leveraging Loft’s expertise in satellite services and Marlan’s…
