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Defense Speak Interpreted: SWaPing Nanosatellites for Defense SystemsLoft Orbital and Marlan Space Join Forces to Create First Satellite Production Company in the Middle East
August 26, 2024 | BUSINESS WIREEstimated reading time: 1 minute
Abu Dhabi-based Marlan Space, a new space company affiliated with International Holding Company (IHC), has established a joint venture with Loft Orbital to form Orbitworks, the Middle East’s first private space infrastructure company.
Orbitworks marks a significant milestone in the UAE’s rapidly growing space sector, becoming the first to produce commercial low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite constellations. With an initial investment of over $100 million, Orbitworks aims to produce up to fifty 500 kg satellites annually. Loft Orbital, established in 2017, brings extensive expertise, technology, and a strong reputation to the venture, supporting a wide range of missions across telecommunications, earth observation, and scientific research.
Orbitworks is set to begin construction of a state-of-the-art facility that will employ advanced hardware, software and industrial technologies for integration and test of satellites.
Orbitworks has secured components for its first ten satellites, the first of which could be launched as early as the first quarter of 2026. Orbitworks will help Loft Orbital further its vision of flying any payload for any customer in the shortest time to orbit.
Orbitworks aims to partner with local component manufacturers and technology providers in the UAE, leveraging Loft’s solutions for seamless technology integration.
The first satellite platform is expected to be assembled, integrated, and tested by early 2025. Loft and Marlan have begun recruiting talent both internationally and within the UAE, focusing on hardware, software, test engineering, and other aerospace engineering disciplines.
The UAE has built one of the most advanced AI ecosystems globally, and Orbitworks will collaborate with AI companies and research organizations by providing them with a simple pathway to deploy their apps to orbit.
Pierre-Damien Vaujour, CEO of Loft Orbital, commented, “We have long believed in the dynamism and growth of the UAE’s space sector, and we are proud to be playing a small part in the country’s journey to becoming a space powerhouse. From the moment we first met with Marlan Space, we were excited about their vision for bringing scaled production and operations of LEO satellite constellations to the UAE. We are thrilled to support and partner with all players in the country’s space, satellite, cloud, and AI industries."
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