Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, on Tuesday unveiled a Dh1 billion ($270,000) strategy to advance the UAE's role in the global space sector.
Sheikh Hamdan said the launch of the International Space Co-operation Programme would support the country's mission to cement its growing status as a major player in the booming industry.
The key initiative will champion global collaboration in research and development, promote the development of advanced space technology by domestic companies and empower home-grown talent to make its mark in the industry.
Sheikh Hamdan, who announced the plans while chairing a meeting of the Supreme Space Council, said the programme would connect UAE-based research institutions with counterparts around the world to deliver projects that can make an economic and technological impact.
Under the National Space Strategy 2031, the UAE aims to double the returns of the flourishing sector, and enhance the nation's capabilities in space research, development and manufacturing.
"The space sector remains a strategic priority for the UAE as we continue building a future economy driven by knowledge and innovation, while strengthening our position among the world’s leading nations in this field," Sheikh Hamdan wrote on social media platform X.
"We are proud of the UAE’s pioneering space achievements, which continue to inspire future generations, and confident in our youth’s ability to turn ambition into achievements that contribute to a better future for humanity on Earth and beyond."
Soaring space ambitions
The UAE has made significant strides in the global space race over recent years and is continuing to reach for the stars.
Hazza Al Mansouri made history in September 2019 by becoming the first Emirati to venture into space, while Sultan Al Neyadi broke new ground in March 2023 when chosen to be the first Arab astronaut to carry out a long-duration journey through space.
In February, the UAE announced it was to extend its history-making Mars mission until 2028, five years on from the Hope probe being launched.
The spacecraft entered the Red Planet's orbit on February 9, 2021 in a giant leap forward for the UAE's expanding space programme.
Meanwhile, the UAE's voyage to the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter is on track for a 2028 launch.
The MBR Explorer spacecraft – named in honour of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai – is scheduled to be launched in two years' time on a five billion-kilometre journey that will take eight years.
It is to perform fly-bys of six asteroids and then send a lander to the surface of a seventh, in what will be a historic moment for the UAE's space sector.
The UAE is also attempt to become only the second nation to land on the far side of the Moon this year, with its Rashid 2 Rover, and wants to put an Emirati astronaut on the lunar surface within the next 10 years.
