Space42

Space42 and @Viasat announced at World Space Business Week in Paris the signing of a binding agreement to co-found Equatys, creating the first shared space and ground infrastructure platform for global Direct-to-Device (D2D) and advanced Mobile Satellite Services (MSS) connectivity. The agreement provides for up to USD 1 billion in combined equity commitments from Space42 and Viasat as initial co-founders. This step-up in funding accelerates program development of the initial satellite constellation, with Viasat expected to be appointed as the company's prime technology contractor upon formation. Equatys is designed to support the connection of smartphones, IoT devices, and other devices and terminals directly to satellites, giving mobile operators a way to offer voice, text, and data where cellular networks are otherwise unavailable or have low density. It is built on a Tower Company model, a proven approach that helped the terrestrial mobile industry efficiently scale by sharing standardized and common infrastructure among many operators. Together, Space42 and Viasat bring global reach through commercial relationships with more than 400 mobile operators worldwide and access to the largest amount (>100MHz) of globally coordinated MSS spectrum available for D2D deployment, creating a scalable foundation for growth. The agreement follows the funded technical and commercial studies Space42 and Viasat began in March 2025, and the September 2025 announcement of their intention to form Equatys. Our teams are in Paris all week. Karim Michel Sabbagh and Mark Dankberg, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Viasat, open the industry leaders' keynote on day one, and Adnan Al Mheiri joins Mark for "Scaling D2D: Deploying Networks, Connecting Customers" on day two. Operators, regulators, investors, and ecosystem participants are welcome to put their questions to them in either session, or to speak with us this week about the transformational shift shared infrastructure opens up for the industry. Read the full announcement at the link below: equatys.com/en/media/2026/sp… #Space42 #Viasat #Equatys

Space42 signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with ESS AE Holdings that was attended by Khaled AlMarzooqi, CEO of Mira Aerospace, a subsidiary of Space42 and Ahmed AlMehrzi, Chief Commercial Officer for Government, alongside ESS AE Holdings President Dr. Mohamed Alnaqbi and Vice President Dr. Ehab El Mesallamy. The MoU outlines potential areas of cooperation spanning mapping, satellite and aerial surveying, data platforms and monitoring solutions, alongside opportunities in smart cities and digital twins. The agreement provides a framework for us to explore future collaboration and pursue opportunities aligned with our strategic priorities. #Space42 #ESSAEHoldings

Reaching the world's most remote and complex markets reliably takes more than technology. It takes local presence, sustained partnerships, and trust built on the ground, year after year. In his article for The Orbit Vol. 2, Elmuiz Saad, Senior Vice President Commercial, Space Services at Space42, shares how more than two decades of partnerships have shaped Thuraya’s global reach, including 146 active service partners, 370+ Mobile Network Operator (MNO) roaming agreements, and more than one million Thuraya satellite phones sold since 2002. Read the full article in The Orbit Vol. 2: space42.ai/en/the-orbit-maga… #Space42 #Thuraya #TheOrbit

Ali Al Hashmi, CEO of Space Services, welcomed the delegations of Senegal Numérique (SENUM) and ASCA Holdings to the headquarters of Space42.​ ​ Space42 and SENUM, the Government of Senegal's national digital transformation company, have embarked on a strategic collaboration initiative to expand access to high-performance, low-latency connectivity across the country. This initiative marks an important milestone in our partnership and ongoing engagement in Senegal, while helping to support the national digital agenda.​ Ali Al Hashmi, CEO de Space Services, a accueilli les délégations de Sénégal Numérique (SENUM) et d’ASCA Holdings au siège de Space42.​ ​ Space42 et SENUM, la société nationale chargée de la transformation numérique du gouvernement sénégalais, ont lancé une initiative de collaboration stratégique visant à élargir l’accès à une connectivité performante à faible latence dans tout le pays. Cette initiative marque une étape importante dans le cadre de notre partenariat et de notre engagement continu au Sénégal, tout en contribuant à soutenir la stratégie numérique nationale.​ Ahmed al Mhrezi | ElMuiz Saad | Martin Kaufmann | Stephane | Ines Sarr | Fatou Seye ep. Tomas | Arona Mbaye | Djiby Dieng | Mbaye Sokhna Thiam | Abdou Salam Cherif Aidara ​ #Space42 #SenegalNumérique

Ahmed AlMehrzi, Chief Commercial Officer for Government and El Muiz Saad, Senior VP of Commercial, welcomed a delegation from Gabon led by General Bernard Gnamankala, Head of SILAM, alongside communications and technical representatives from Gabon’s Ministry of Defense and Ministry of Interior. Joined by our service partner, Sama Space LLC, the visit featured live demonstrations of our tactical and critical solutions and geospatial services, providing an opportunity to exchange insights and explore future collaboration. #Space42 #GeospatialServices

Space42 and @Viasat, co-founders of Equatys, have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Terrestar Solutions, Canada’s only mobile satellite operator, to expand shared satellite infrastructure for global Direct-to-Device (D2D) and advanced Mobile Satellite Services (MSS). The MoU was signed on the sidelines of the official visit of His Highness Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, to Canada, where His Highness attended talks with the Right Honourable Mark Carney, Prime Minister of Canada. Under the MoU, the parties will develop an open, standards-based interoperability framework connecting Terrestar’s planned Canadian low-Earth orbit (LEO) constellation, CaStar, with Equatys. The framework is designed to link the two satellite systems and their ground networks into one coordinated network, with each operator retaining ownership and control of its own assets, so that national sovereignty over critical communications infrastructure is preserved at global scale. The signing was attended by His Excellency Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of Foreign Trade and His Excellency Sultan bin Saeed Al Mansoori, Envoy of the Minister of Foreign Affairs. Read the full announcement here: space42.ai/en/press-release/… #Space42 #Viasat #Equatys #TerrestarSolutions

The World Economic Forum (@WEF) hosted a fireside chat at the 9th World Investment Forum in Doha, organized by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (@UNCTAD), in which Hasan Al Hosani, CEO of Smart Solutions at Space42, sat down with Khalid Alaamer, Manager of Investment Policy and Practice at WEF. In the conversation on "High-Quality Foreign Direct Investment", Hasan highlighted how Space42 brings together international expertise, public-private partnerships, and local capability to turn investment into lasting infrastructure. He pointed to two examples. The first is the Assembly, Integration, and Testing (AIT) facility, developed with support from the Abu Dhabi Investment Office and alongside ICEYE. The second is GIQ, the AI-native geospatial intelligence platform built with the UAE Space Agency and available globally through the Microsoft Azure Marketplace. Together, these demonstrate how partnerships can build national capabilities while opening access to international markets. He also discussed how this partnership approach supports Map Africa, Space42’s initiative with Esri and Microsoft, bringing financing partners, governments, and African institutions together for long-term delivery and local ownership. @InvestAbuDhabi @iceye_global @uaespaceagency @Microsoft @Esri #Space42 #WorldEconomicForum

At the 9th World Investment Forum in Doha, hosted by United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), Hasan Al Hosani, Chief Executive Officer of Smart Solutions at Space42, joined the panel “Investing in Space: The Final Frontier” and presented Map Africa, the initiative Space42 is delivering across 54 African countries with @Microsoft and @Esri. He pointed to foundational data as the starting point for any developing country looking to attract space investment. A reliable base map lets a country plan infrastructure, administer land, prepare for disasters, and open digital markets. Under Map Africa, governments license the maps and keep them up to date, giving investors a steady customer. The panel brought together Ioana Petrescu, Global Fellow, European Space Policy Institute (ESPI), and former Minister of Finance of Romania; Nomfuneko Majaja, Chief Director Space Affairs, Department of Trade, Industry and Competition, South Africa; Jiaming Zhu, Economist, The Digital Alliance Institute for Digital Finance Research; Shaju Stephen, Co-Founder and Managing Director, AADYAH Aerospace; and Hu Xing, Founder and Chairman, Longxing Avionics, with the session moderated by Driss El Hadani, Deputy Director, UN Office for Outer Space Affairs. @ESPIspace @AadyahAerospace @UNOOSA #Space42 #WorldInvestmentForum #MapAfrica

Space42 celebrated the graduation of an Emirati cohort who completed specialized training in Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) imagery and response analysis, delivered with TRENDS as its learning partner. The program brings together multidisciplinary talent around SAR and Earth observation. Together, these skills can support dual-use, real-world applications, from environmental monitoring and disaster response to infrastructure monitoring, national security and other emerging use cases. A special thank you to TRENDS Group and Group CEO Dr. Mohammed Al Ali for supporting this initiative to advance our vision of developing the next generation of UAE space and SAR talent. @trendsgroup #Space42 #SAR #EarthObservation

At the 6G MENA Summit in Abu Dhabi, Adnan AlMheiri, Chief Technology Officer of Space Services at Space42, joined the plenary panel "Future Connectivity Without Boundaries: Integrating Space and Terrestrial Networks in the 6G Era." He presented Equatys, and the value of shared infrastructure to realize Direct-to-Device (D2D). Designed to enable standard smartphones and other devices to connect directly to satellites, Equatys aims to help mobile operators extend coverage beyond terrestrial networks. Its standards-based approach supports interoperability, allowing space and ground systems to work together for a more seamless customer experience. As the relationship between satellite and mobile operators evolves on the road to 6G, he also discussed the role of non-terrestrial networks in delivering resilient connectivity across challenging geographies and the regulatory alignment needed to bring satellite and terrestrial systems together at scale. Panelists included Dr. Abdulhadi AbouAlmal, Chief Executive Officer, MEA-Comm; Mohamed El-Moghazi, Founder, Global Telecom Policy Researchers Network (GTPRN); and Saeed Alqarni, Director of Frequency Licensing, CST Saudi Arabia, among others, with the session moderated by Ali Hayajneh, Principal Analyst, Cullen International. @CST_KSA @CullenInt #Space42 #6GMENASummit

High Altitude Platform Systems (HAPS) bridges the gap between aviation and space and is built for persistent monitoring where live visibility matters. Space42’s subsidiary Mira Aerospace is advancing the use of HAPS to add a live intelligence layer alongside existing satellite, aerial, and ground-based systems. Its ApusNeo18, a solar-powered HAPS model, carries an Earth observation payload of high-resolution optical and infrared sensors with real-time data transmission. HAPS typically operate at around 20 kilometers, where they provide insights across a wide region. In Spain, ApusNeo18 flew at about five kilometers (roughly 16,000 feet), where its sensors saw the ground in closer detail, and climbed to 14.5 kilometers, the maximum altitude its authorization permitted. Covering that range in a single campaign shows Mira Aerospace can match altitude to what each task needs, so customers choose between wide-area view and resolution. Captured off the coast of Spain in October 2026, this is HAPS imagery of a cargo vessel in motion. Learn more here: space42.ai/en/lp/index.html #Space42 #MiraAerospace #HAPS

For years, Space42 has helped establish the UAE as a force in the global space industry. Now the company is setting its sights beyond its home market. At the Frontier Summit in Abu Dhabi this week, Managing Director Karim Sabbagh sat down with Fortune’s Melissa Hancock to lay out a $1.7 billion plan to double the company’s revenue and expand internationally over the coming years. It is an ambition that rests on capabilities few others can match. At the center is Equatys, the shared infrastructure Space42 and @Viasat are building for Direct-to-Device connectivity, a model that lets sovereign satellite networks plug into one global platform rather than each nation funding its own. Alongside it sits Space42’s rare combination of satellite communications, Earth observation and AI-enabled analysis, turning growing volumes of raw data into timely, decision-ready intelligence. Karim also pointed to where the next chapter of growth could come from: “I think there are going to be opportunities for very complementary capabilities, particularly in geospatial intelligence.” The full conversation, on the strategy, the investment outlook and what sets Space42 apart, is well worth reading. Read more here: fortune.com/2026/10/21/beyon… @FortuneMagazine #Space42 #Equatys #GeospatialIntelligence

Reliable mobile connectivity should reach the people, industries, and communities that have long operated beyond the limits of terrestrial networks, including energy operations in remote and hard-to-reach environments. Ubiquitous mobility is one of the principles shaping the shared infrastructure model that Space42 and @Viasat are working to establish through Equatys. By combining space and ground assets with harmonized Mobile Satellite Services (MSS) spectrum, Equatys is designed to extend connectivity everywhere. From solar plants to offshore and remote energy sites, the result is a Direct to-Device (D2D) connection that works with the device already in your hand. Equatys - Mobility Everywhere. Learn more about Equatys here: equatys.com/en/elp/index.htm… #Space42 #Equatys #Viasat

For teams operating across remote terrain, along borders, at construction sites, or across shipping lanes, coordinated action can come down to a single conversation, delivered instantly. Thuraya-4 Push-to-Talk (PTT) service turns compatible devices into instant group communicators, connecting teams across land, sea, and air over satellite. Every team member can be reached in seconds. Learn more about Thuraya-4 services here: thuraya.com/en/thuraya-4-ngs… #Space42 #Thuraya #PTT

From floods and wildfires to pipeline damage or coastal change, faster clarity helps governments and industries act sooner, protect assets, and direct resources where they matter most. Foresight, the first commercial synthetic aperture radar (SAR) constellation in the region, captures that change in 25-centimeter resolution, day or night, through any weather, for clients across the globe. Five satellites work continuously to feed imagery into GIQ, Space42’s AI-powered platform that turns raw data into actionable insight. Together, they form a vertically integrated geospatial intelligence ecosystem in the UAE, taking visibility beyond horizons to the people who need it most, wherever they are. Learn more about our solutions here: space42.ai/en/lp/about.html?… #Space42 #Foresight #EarthObservation