Russia’s planned space station 'will create more opportunities for UAE'

Emirati space chief Salem Al Marri says the country is seeking to spearhead more human spaceflight missions

Salem Al Marri is director-general of the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre. All photos: Pawan Singh / The National

Mr Al Marri is working on expanding operations that will lead to more human spaceflight, satellite development and interplanetary missions in the next five years.

The Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre buildings in Al Khawaneej are expanding to accommodate more engineers and scientists to work on new programmes.

One of the new buildings being constructed as part of the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre in Dubai.

Photos of UAE astronauts and badges of space missions hang on the wall inside the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre.

The UAE and MBRSC flags that were carried to the International Space Station with the first Emirati astronaut, Hazza Al Mansoori, in 2019.

To help the private space sector grow, Mr Al Marri wants to secure more local partners for space projects.

Mr Al Marri is a leading figure in the national space programme and has represented the UAE in more than 50 international space conferences.

Russia’s plan to build an independent space station in low-Earth orbit will help create more opportunities for the UAE, an Emirati space chief has said.

Last month, Russia announced plans to quit the International Space Station and build its own, with hopes that the first phase would be completed within this decade.

Salem Al Marri, director general of the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC), told The National that the UAE would benefit from more space stations, as it looks to spearhead more human spaceflights in future.

The country has already launched its first Emirati astronaut Hazza Al Mansouri to the ISS in 2019, on a Soyuz rocket for an eight-day trip.

Next spring, a SpaceX rocket will launch Sultan Al Neyadi into space for a six-month stay on the floating science laboratory.

“I think Russia has always been committed to the ISS until 2024 and what I’ve seen recently is that they’ve reiterated that commitment and it could even go to 2025 or 2026,” he said.

“I think they will make sure that they’re still on the ISS until they launch their new station.

“I think it’s good. The more stations you have, the more opportunities for a country like us.

“We’re not building a space station, rockets or capsules to send astronauts any time soon. It's a humongous budget and significant technical challenge.”

A new era of space travel

Space agencies are preparing for a future without the ISS, which is likely to be retired at the end of this decade.

Operating for more than 20 years, it is a joint project by Nasa, Russia, the European Space Agency, Japan’s space agency Jaxa and the Canadian Space Agency.

Moscow hopes to launch the first module of the new Russian Orbital Service Station by 2028 — two years before US space agency Nasa plans to retire its segment on the ISS.

Meanwhile, private companies in the US are looking to commercialise low-Earth orbit and build space stations that would offer access to government astronauts.

Russia announced plans to leave the International Space Station after 2024 and build an independent one. Reuters

A Russian Soyuz 2.1a rocket booster at the Baikonur Cosmodrome spaceport, in an area of southern Kazakhstan leased to Russia. Reuters

A Soyuz-2.1a is readied for launch. Nasa has announced that it will resume flights to the International Space Station with Russia.

This is taking place despite Washington's attempts to isolate Russia over its invasion of Ukraine. AFP

Nasa's announcement came hours Dmitry Rogozin was dismissed as head of Russia's Roscosmos space agency. AFP

A vocal backer of Russia's invasion, Mr Rogozin, had said US astronauts should get to the ISS 'on trampolines' rather than Russian rockets. AFP

Earlier this month, Russia's former Deputy Prime Minister Yuri Borisov was appointed as the new director-general of Roscosmos. AP

A Russian rocket to the ISS launched since the invasion bore the inscription Donbas and its nose cone and had the flags of breakaway enclaves painted on it. AP

The Soyuz rocket blasts off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome. The last Nasa astronaut to take a Soyuz to the ISS was Mark Vande Hei in 2021. AP

Nasa said the ISS was always designed to be operated jointly. Reuters

The space agencies of the US, Russia, Europe, Japan and Canada participate. Reuters

US astronaut Mark Vande Hei has a spectacular view of Earth from inside the ISS. AP

Nasa astronaut Mark Vande Hei of Nasa, left, returns from the ISS with cosmonauts Anton Shkaplerov, centre, and Pyotr Dubrov. EPA

Their Russian Soyuz MS-19 space capsule lands south-east of the town of Zhezkazgan in Kazakhstan. AP

A Soyuz MS-21 spacecraft carrying Russian cosmonauts Oleg Artemyev, Denis Matveev and Sergey Korsakov approaches to dock with the ISS. Reuters

A spectacular night-time Soyuz launch. AFP

Blue Origin, Axiom and Nanoracks are some companies that have announced plans of building a station.

Mr Al Marri said they are tracking the progress these companies are making, as the UAE also prepares for a future without the ISS.

“We're looking very closely at what they're doing,” he said.

“Another element that we’re looking at are commercial players like SpaceX and their plans to go to the Moon. They’ve got ideas with Starship.

“And we're also looking at what Nasa and other partners are doing, and how can we be part of that.”

The UAE also held discussions with Nasa on the Artemis programme, which aims to build a sustainable human presence on the Moon.

China is building its Tiangong Space Station in low-Earth orbit, with Chinese astronauts already living on board.

Mr Al Marri said the UAE has not held any conversations with China on sending Emirati astronauts to its space station, but it is open to working with them.

“We haven't spoken to China about human spaceflight,” he said.

Emirati astronauts are mission-ready

“The UAE has agreements with many countries, and we are open to work with anybody.

“Whoever meets the national objectives of the UAE, in terms of giving opportunities to go to space, doing unique things, if China can provide that as well, those discussions would happen. We're open to it.”

The UAE has four Emiratis in its astronauts corps, including Nora Al Matrooshi, the first female Arab astronaut.

Ms Al Matrooshi, a former mechanical engineer, and helicopter pilot Mohammed Al Mulla are currently participating in Nasa's basic astronaut training programme.

Once they graduate, they will be eligible for future US-led space missions.

Dr Al Neyadi and Maj Al Mansouri graduated this year.

"We have an astronaut corps that is fully trained for all kinds of missions," Mr Al Marri said.

"They're continuously training, whether it's in Russia, Japan, Canada, Europe, and in the US. The only place they haven't trained in is in China."

UAE's newest astronauts begin training on supersonic jets - in pictures

Nora Al Matrooshi (left) UAE's first female astronaut, and Mohammed Al Mulla (third to right) completed training on the T-6A aircrafts. Now, they begin training on the T-38 Talon, supersonic jets that help prepare astronauts for spaceflight. Here, they are pictured with their Nasa colleagues, who are also in training. Photo: Anil Menon Instagram

They will begin training in the T-38 Talon jets, which have been used by the US space agency since the 1960s to train its astronauts, achieving supersonic speed and high altitude that create gravitational forces trainees must experience.

Ms Al Matrooshi and Mr Al Mulla are the UAE's newest astronauts. Here, they are pictured flying the T-6 aircraft in Florida. Photo: MBRSC

Ms Al Matrooshi and Mr Al Mulla learn how to fly through a simulator course in Florida. Photo: MBRSC

Ms Al Matrooshi (left) and Mr Al Mulla (second to left) at a simulation flying ground school with their Nasa colleagues. Photo: Anil Menon Instagram

UAE's newest astronauts visited the Florida's Kennedy Space Centre to see the Space Launch System, world's most powerful rocket that will launch astronauts to the Moon one day, roll out onto the launch pad. Photo: Mr Al Mulla Instagram

Ms Al Matrooshi (second to left) and Mr Al Mulla (second to right) with their Nasa colleagues in the US. Photo: Anil Menon Instagram

UAE's four astronauts at the Expo 2020 Dubai last year. Photo: Mohammed AL Mulla Instagram

Mohammed Al Mulla, UAE's newest astronauts, in a space sleeping bag. Photo: Mr Al Mulla Instagram

Ms Al Matrooshi and Mr Al Mulla admire the views of the Space Launch System rocket at a launch pad in Florida's Kennedy Space Centre. Photo: Mr Al Mulla Instagram