Leading companies vie for contract to develop UAE's airlock module for Gateway space station

Several organisations vying to secure business from Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre

Illustrations of the Gateway Lunar Space Station project, in which the UAE is taking part. Photo: Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre

A number of companies worldwide are vying to win a contract to help build the UAE's airlock module, which will be a crucial component on Nasa’s lunar-orbiting station.

The Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) is fielding bids from leading organisations, including a publicly listed US aerospace manufacturing and space infrastructure technology company, and a French aerospace manufacturer, as the Gateway lunar station project gathers pace, The National has learnt.

The MBRSC is developing an airlock module for the Gateway, a planned station by Nasa that would orbit the Moon, with the UAE, Japan, the European and Canadian space agencies also supporting the mission.

The airlock, which is expected to be launched in 2030, would be a critical part of the station, creating entry and exit points for astronauts and cargo.

“We are finalising our process in terms of the selection of the partners,” Adnan Al Rais, assistant director general at the MBRSC, told a panel session held at an industry dinner for the Abu Dhabi Space Debate by the US-UAE Business Council.

“We will work with partners to develop the Airlock module and are preparing it for launch, hopefully, by the 2030 timeframe.”

Growing space ambitions

Mr Al Rais also shared the progress of other MBRSC projects, including how engineers are now developing Rashid 2 and Rashid 3, the second and third lunar rovers, after the first failed as it was prepared for a soft touchdown when a Japanese lander carrying it crashed on to the Moon's surface.

"We're doing our second attempt and also in parallel, we're working on Rashid 3," said Mr Al Rais. "With Rashid 2, we're aiming for the same science that was in the first mission and Rashid 3 is aiming for the South Pole region."

He said the MBZ-Sat, an Earth observation satellite in development since 2020, is set to be launched aboard a SpaceX rocket in January.

Mike Gold, chief growth officer at Redwire Space, highlighted the Artemis Accords, a US-led agreement that outlines responsible Moon exploration. The UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and 45 others have signed it so far.

"The UAE was the first country to commit to the accords," Mr Gold said. "The inclusivity of the accords was driven by UAE text and feedback, and that push to ensure that every nation could sign the accords is the reason for the success and the reason that we're at a quarter of the world signing the accords."

The dinner and the Abu Dhabi Space Debate, taking place until Wednesday, welcomed a delegation of 20 US companies that the US Chamber of Commerce helped to organise. They are visiting to explore partnerships with Emirati organisations and government bodies.

Meanwhile, AzurX, a Dubai-based investment and strategic space company, briefed the delegation and the UAE Space Agency at another event, called the SpaceNxt Business Mission to the UAE, on potential areas of collaboration in the region.

The debate also brought together heads of space agencies, policymakers and private companies from around the world, with panel sessions and workshops focusing on safety, security and sustainability in space.

A US delegation comprising 20 companies attending the Abu Dhabi Space Debate. Photo: AzurX

Omran Sharaf, Assistant Foreign Minister for Advanced Science and Technology, told The National the conference was launched in 2022 to discuss the pressing topics surrounding the space industry.

"A dialogue needed to happen that included members from the civilian and military space programmes, and from the industry, so they could discuss things at a higher and strategic level," said Mr Sharaf, who led the UAE mission to Mars and was chairman of the UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space in 2022 and 2023.

One of the main topics highlighted at the conference was the growing problem of space debris, which poses significant risk to active spacecraft, satellites and future exploration efforts.

Low-Earth orbit is become increasingly crowded, with a surge in satellite launches creating challenges for space traffic management and raising concerns about collisions and debris generation.

Dr Everett Dolman, visiting professor of space strategy at Johns Hopkins University in the US, said sensors in space would be the best way to manage traffic.

"We're probably looking at something like an international traffic management system that will be necessary so we can determine failure and accountability," he said.