• UAE satellite KhalifaSat captures a stunning image of Sharjah's largest mosque. Courtesy: Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre
    UAE satellite KhalifaSat captures a stunning image of Sharjah's largest mosque. Courtesy: Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre
  • KhalifaSat captures Jebel Jais from space. Courtesy MBR Space Centre
    KhalifaSat captures Jebel Jais from space. Courtesy MBR Space Centre
  • A photo of Love Lake in Dubai taken by UAE-made satellite KhalifaSat. Courtesy: Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre
    A photo of Love Lake in Dubai taken by UAE-made satellite KhalifaSat. Courtesy: Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre
  • An image of the Grand Mosque of Makkah was taken by KhalifaSat on the first day of Eid Al Adha during the 2019 Hajj pilgrimage. Wam
    An image of the Grand Mosque of Makkah was taken by KhalifaSat on the first day of Eid Al Adha during the 2019 Hajj pilgrimage. Wam
  • Kazakhstan's Baikonur Cosmodrome in 2019. Courtesy: Dubai Media Office
    Kazakhstan's Baikonur Cosmodrome in 2019. Courtesy: Dubai Media Office
  • An aerial image of Palm Jumeirah, taken from space by KhalifaSat in 2018. Courtesy: Dubai Media Office
    An aerial image of Palm Jumeirah, taken from space by KhalifaSat in 2018. Courtesy: Dubai Media Office
  • An image from UAE's KhalifaSat, 600km in orbit, shows Beirut port after a blast levelled the entire district in August 2020. Courtesy: Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre
    An image from UAE's KhalifaSat, 600km in orbit, shows Beirut port after a blast levelled the entire district in August 2020. Courtesy: Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre
  • The Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, US in October 2019. Courtesy: Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre
    The Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, US in October 2019. Courtesy: Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre
  • Denpasar, the capital city of Bali in Indonesia, pictured by KhalifaSat in 2019. Courtesy: Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre
    Denpasar, the capital city of Bali in Indonesia, pictured by KhalifaSat in 2019. Courtesy: Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre
  • The port city of Wonsan in North Korea. Courtesy: Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre
    The port city of Wonsan in North Korea. Courtesy: Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre
  • A quiet Dubai International Airport during the coronavirus pandemic in April 2020. Courtesy: Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre
    A quiet Dubai International Airport during the coronavirus pandemic in April 2020. Courtesy: Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre
  • Milan in Italy pictured from space by KhalifaSat. Courtesy: Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre
    Milan in Italy pictured from space by KhalifaSat. Courtesy: Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre
  • Abu Dhabi's distinctive coastline. Courtesy: Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre
    Abu Dhabi's distinctive coastline. Courtesy: Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre
  • Dubai's recognisable coastline is pictured in 2020. Courtesy: Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre
    Dubai's recognisable coastline is pictured in 2020. Courtesy: Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre

Dubai's Love Lake pictured from space by UAE-made satellite


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The first satellite to be made in the UAE captured the hearts of Dubai from hundreds of kilometres away.

An image of Dubai's Love Lake, taken from space by KhalifaSat, was shared by Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre on Monday.

The man-made lake, in Al Qudra desert, is shaped like two interlocking love hearts with trees planted beside the water to spell out the word 'love'.

First revealed by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai, on Instagram in November 2018, the lake has become a popular spot for residents and tourists alike.

In March 2019, nine Chinese couples chose the venue for their group wedding. Meraas, Dubai Holding and Hala China were the organisers behind the event, which featured a quick cameo by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai. As well as the wedding, there was also a fashion show.

KhalifaSat is the first completely Emirati-made satellite and was launched into space in October 2018.

The advanced Earth observation satellite has images of places around the world.

Monday's "out of this world" image was shared on Twitter using the hashtag #WorldsCoolestWinter, a nationwide domestic tourism campaign launched by Sheikh Mohammed, who is also Prime Minister of the UAE, last month.

The campaign invites people to explore the hidden gems of the seven emirates and during its 45-day run - overseen by the Ministry of Economy in collaboration with local tourism entities - it aims to highlight the landmarks and attractions that distinguish every emirate and contribute to the UAE as a single destination.

It is part of a wider plan to encourage staycations and double by 2030 the annual Dh41.2 billion ($11.2bn) spent on domestic tourism.