Emirates SkyCargo has completed the transport of Altair-1, the UAE’s first commercial AI-enabled earth observation satellite, from Dubai to Los Angeles ahead of its scheduled launch in October 2026.
The shipment was carried on a Boeing 777 freighter from Dubai World Central (DWC) to Los Angeles (LAX) and was managed under the carrier’s Aerospace and Engineering product.
The airline said that a specialist team oversaw the end-to-end movement of the satellite, “maintaining strict environmental and safety controls throughout the journey and ensuring delivery within the required launch timeline”.
Emirates SkyCargo said the shipment was one of a number of satellites and other high-value aerospace equipment that it has transported in recent years.
Earlier this year, the carrier transported Arab Satellite 813 from Dubai to its launch site near Shanghai, China. In 2018, it transported Khalifasat, the first satellite developed and built by UAE engineers, from Dubai to South Korea.
Emirates said its Aerospace and Engineering product is one of the fastest-growing among its portfolio.
In 2026, the carrier has moved more than 6,000 tonnes of aerospace and advanced engineering cargo worldwide.
Badr Abbas, divisional senior vice president at Emirates SkyCargo, said the movement of Altair-1 demonstrated the airline’s experience in handling complex aerospace shipments.
“Transporting highly sensitive and technologically advanced cargo requires precision and expertise, and we are well positioned through decades of deep expertise to support this critical mission,” he said.
He added that the shipment underlined the role of specialised air cargo solutions in supporting the global aerospace sector.
The satellite was transported for UAE-based manufacturer Orbitworks and is the first of 10 satellites planned for the company’s Altair constellation.
