Amna Al Ketbi (Dubai)
Engineer Salem Al Marri, Director General of the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Center, revealed that the UAE’s hosting of the “Abu Dhabi Space Dialogue” next December is part of the UAE’s strategic plan to learn about global developments in the sector, to develop its space program and to strengthen its partnerships with the most prominent international bodies.
He added, “The Abu Dhabi Space Dialogue attracts global leaders in the space industry to discuss the latest research, technologies and innovations with the aim of learning about the most important challenges facing the space sector and seeking to formulate international policies, pointing out that the space sector in the UAE is constantly evolving.”
Next year will witness the launch of many projects, including the launch of astronaut Sultan Al Neyadi on the first long-term mission for Arab astronauts, which confirms the sustainable nature of the Emirates National Space Program.
He pointed out that the UAE, with this mission, will be one of 11 countries that have been able to send astronauts on long-term missions to the International Space Station.
The exceptional achievements of the UAE strategy in the national space sector, and the active contribution to supporting scientific discoveries and building sustainable knowledge systems, constituted an important Arab tributary to the international space community, as part of the National Space Strategy 2030, launched by the UAE government in March 2019, which focused on The national regulatory framework for the space sector in the country, which consists of 4 basic elements, including the national space policy, the space sector regulation law, regulations, and the national space strategy.
The goals, programs and initiatives were based in the fields of science, space exploration research, manufacturing, assembly, integration, testing and space services, and resulted in outstanding scientific projects that achieved a qualitative leap in the development of the national economy, as well as sustainable development in vital fields, according to a complete belief in the importance of preparing a distinguished generation of qualified cadres. in the space sector.
The achievements of the UAE’s projects have continued, starting with the exploration of Mars, the “Probe of Hope”, to preparing for the launch of the first Arab explorer to land on the moon, “Explorer Rashid”, recording new outputs, the most important of which is the selection of Emirati astronaut Sultan Al Neyadi as the first Arab astronaut for a long-term mission on board the station. International Space Station in 2023, and work on “MBZ-SAT” as the second Emirati satellite to be developed and built with the participation of a group of Emirati engineers after “KhalifaSat”.
The national space projects also focused on the establishment of an integrated space sector in the country, with what it requires of human resources, infrastructure and scientific research, and building advanced scientific capabilities for the UAE space sector, represented in the preparation of Emirati astronauts who demonstrated in various missions and scientific forums their mental capabilities and physical readiness in Stimulating space activities, and consolidating the concepts of scientific discoveries through research centers in the UAE and the world, as part of the “Emirates Astronauts Program” launched by the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Center, as it is one of the most inspiring programs that meet the aspirations of young people with unique abilities at the scientific level and personal skills. It is also one of the projects managed by the Emirates National Space Program and funded by the Information and Communication Technology Fund of the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority and Digital Government, which aims to support research and development in the ICT sector in the United Arab Emirates, as well as enhance the country’s integration at the global level. .
New achievements
Among the most important new achievements of development initiatives in the UAE space sector, the selection of Emirati astronaut Sultan Al Neyadi to participate in the first long-term mission aboard the International Space Station within the US space agency NASA and SpaceX Crew-6 mission, according to an announcement by the Mohammed Center Bin Rashid Space Center, which will be launched in the spring of 2023, to be the first Arab astronaut on a long-term mission to the International Space Station, during which Emirati astronaut Sultan Al Neyadi will spend 6 months aboard the International Space Station, during which he conducts many in-depth and advanced scientific experiments, Within the “UAE Astronaut Program” to train and prepare a team of Emirati astronauts, and send them into space to carry out various scientific missions.
Al Neyadi’s mission came after the signing of a strategic partnership agreement between the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Center and Axiom Space, the company specialized in manned space flights and the development of space infrastructure in the United States for space exploration.
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