For the First Time in Saudi Skies: A Homegrown Radar Captures the Earth from Above
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – July 2025
SARsatX, a leading Saudi space-tech company, proudly announces the successful completion of the first flight test of its SARsatX-1 (SSX-1) airborne radar system — the first Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) payload to be designed, manufactured, and flown in Saudi Arabia.
A Historic Milestone
This milestone, known in the aerospace sector as “First Light,” marks a historic step forward in national remote sensing capabilities. SSX-1 provides solutions for applications spanning both civilian and defense sectors.
Future Plans
With this milestone, SARsatX is now preparing for a Series A funding round, building on a validated deep-tech foundation to scale by launching the first commercial Earth Observation (EO) satellite as part of a 16-satellite SAR and optical constellation. Data from these systems is integrated with EarthLife, a custom-built EO analytics platform. SARsatX’s commercial services will be provided in Saudi Arabia, the Middle East/North Africa region, and beyond, including key growth markets across Africa, Southeast Asia, and Latin America.
SARsatX is a Saudi space-tech startup focused on building national expertise in Earth Observation and advanced SAR systems. Backed by the National Technology Development Program (NTDP) under the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT) and licensed by the Communications, Space & Technology Commission (CST), the company is laying the foundation for a sovereign geospatial hardware and analytics ecosystem in Saudi Arabia.
SARsatX successfully conducted the first airborne imaging campaign using the SSX-1 sensor — marking the first locally-built SAR system to generate radar imagery in the Kingdom. The campaign demonstrated end-to-end system performance including integration, deployment, in-flight operations, and on-ground data validation.
This achievement enables actionable insights for many use cases such as:
- Land use change detection: to monitor construction, urban expansion, or illegal land use
- Infrastructure monitoring: to detect problems with large pipelines and railways
- Environmental analysis: to observe vegetation changes and growing or shrinking bodies of water
- Funded by the NTDP NextEra Program with additional support from TONOMUS, the technology and digital sector of NEOM
- Licensed for airborne radar transmission by CST
- Supports the goals of the National Space Strategy (NSS)
- Ongoing coordination with CST and the Saudi Space Agency (SSA) for upcoming satellite missions
- Frequency: X-band, 9.523 GHz
- Bandwidth: 100 MHz
- Polarization modes: HH, HV, VV, VH
- Range resolution: 2.25 meters
- Lightweight, modular design: 54 kg
Imaging Results
- Demonstrated clear detection of metallic structures, fences, roads, and vegetation
- Received strong responses from corner reflectors to determine achievable resolution
- Recorded and processed dual-polarization data
- Multi-look processing used to enhance image clarity and reduced speckle noise
- Comparative analysis with optical data to determine current georeferencing accuracy
From the Field: On-site Statements Capturing a Defining Technological Milestone
“SSX-1 is more than a prototype—it is the launchpad for Saudi Arabia’s first sovereign SAR satellite. By engineering this capability at home, we are securing 24/7, all-weather imaging for the Kingdom and proving that Saudi innovation can lead on the global EO stage”
— Dr. Muhannad Almutiry, Acting Chief Technology Officer, Chief Business Officer, SARsatX
“The First Light results of SSX-1 demonstrate our ability to design, develop and deploy SAR systems in the Kingdom.”
— Dr. Darryn Jordan, Lead Radar Engineer
“This First Light Campaign results don’t just validate our technology—they ignite our path forward, proving that the Kingdom’s innovations are ready to conquer the challenges of space.”
— Eng. Mubarak Alenzi, Radar Engineer
Toward Space Readiness
SSX-1 is the prototype for a future spaceborne SAR sensor that SARsatX plans to launch on a small satellite. SARsatX is developing the ArabiaEye constellation, comprising 16 small satellites (8 optical and 8 SAR) for rapid environmental response, among many other use cases. An interactive presentation on the space mission concept was given at the 2024 International Astronautical Congress in Milan, Italy and can be accessed online here.
Request the Service Now
Looking to access high quality radar insights from the air? SSX-1 is ready to deliver operational SAR data for environmental, infrastructure, and defense missions.
📩 Contact us at: [email protected]
🌐 Learn more and request the service at: https://sarsatarabia.com/en/home/
#RequestNow | #SaudiRadar | #SARsatX | #FirstLight | #SpaceMadeInSaudi
Technical Terms Explained
First Light:
A term used in the aerospace industry to describe the first successful operation of a sensor or instrument, where actual data is captured and verified. It marks the transition from development to real-world use.
SAR (Synthetic Aperture Radar):
An advanced radar system that creates high-resolution images by simulating a large antenna using the movement of the radar platform, such as an airplane or satellite. It works day or night, and even through cloud cover, unlike traditional optical sensors.
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