New contract signed between the NSSTC and U-Space: A new milestone in UAE-France cooperation in space innovation

Sept. 26, 2025 – The Emirati National Space Science and Technology Center (NSSTC) and U-Space, a French smallsat constellation manufacturer, signed a major contract for the design and manufacture of a turnkey 12U satellite. It will be the precursor of a future constellation dedicated to the Emirati LEONAV programme, which aims at deploying a Low Earth Orbit, Positioning, Navigation and Timing (LEO PNT) service. 

This contract is a major milestone for the NSSTC to demonstrate the delivery of a LEO PNT service in the area. As a committed player of the new-space industry with space-proven experience of similar projects, U-Space is eager to support the NSSTC on this programme and make it a full success. 

This project embodies the long-term cooperation between France and the United Arab Emirates in Space research activities, with a sustained collaboration between the UAE Space Agency and the CNES (Centre National d’Études Spatiales), illustrating a shared desire to share skills and technologies, and to support innovative companies within the two countries capable of meeting the technological and industrial challenges of the future.

Contact U-Space 
contact@u-space.fr 
www.u-space.fr 

Contact The National Space Science and Technology Center (NSSTC)
nsstc@uaeu.ac.ae 
www.nsstc.ae

About U-Space 
U-Space has established itself as an industrial smallsat integrator, capable of responding rapidly to the growing demand from European and international markets. With its two fully-developed modular smallsat platforms (12U and FreeForm), tried-and-tested on-board software and automated factory (U-Zine) in Toulouse, U-Space is able to reconcile reliability, short time-to-orbit and quality. 2025 is the scale-up year for the company, with 4 satellites launched, 6 in production and a strong presence in France, U-Space is now addressing the international market to continue its exponential growth. 

About NSSTC 
The National Space Science and Technology Center (NSSTC) was established in 2016 through the strategic support of UAE University and the UAE Space Agency, with a clear mandate to advance the UAE’s capabilities in Earth Observation and Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) technologies. NSSTC leads the design, development, and operation of advanced satellite missions that align with national priorities. 

At the heart of NSSTC’s mission is a leadership-driven strategic mindset that focuses on bridging academia and industry — accelerating innovation while ensuring the development of local expertise in high-technology sectors. The Center provides hands-on access to real space missions, empowering students, researchers, and engineers to contribute directly to mission success. 

NSSTC also operates the UAE’s only comprehensive Assembly, Integration, and Testing (AIT) facility, enabling the country to build, test, and qualify space systems in-house. Flagship missions such as Satellite 813 and the LEONAV LEO-PNT demonstrator reflect NSSTC’s growing role in building national capability and contributing to global space innovation.