Dubai Ruler and Abu Dhabi Crown Prince tour space centre

Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed and Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum at the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre. Hamad Al Kaabi / Crown Prince Court - Abu Dhabi

Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed and Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid at the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre. With them are Mohammed Mubarak Al Mazrouei, Undersecretary of the Crown Prince Court of Abu Dhabi, right, Dr Khalifa Mohamed Al Romaithi, Chairman of the UAE Space Agency, fifth right, Jassem Mohamed Bu Ataba Al Zaabi, Chairman of the Executive Committee Office, sixth right, Khaldoon Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chief Executive and Managing Director, Mubadala and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Affairs Authority, seventh right, Mohamed Ahmad Al Bowardi, Minister of State for Defence Affairs, eighth right, Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, ninth right, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai, 12th right, and Mohamed Abdulla Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs and the Future, 13th right. Mohamed Al Hammadi / Crown Prince Court - Abu Dhabi

Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed at the centre. With him is Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. Mohamed Al Hammadi / Crown Prince Court - Abu Dhabi

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice-President and Ruler of Dubai, and Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, tour the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre. Mohamed Al Hammadi / Crown Prince Court – Abu Dhabi

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid and Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed chair a meeting at the centre. With them is Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai. Mohamed Al Hammadi / Crown Prince Court - Abu Dhabi

Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, at the centre. With him is Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai. Mohamed Al Hammadi / Crown Prince Court - Abu Dhabi

Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed tours the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre. Mohamed Al Hammadi / Crown Prince Court - Abu Dhabi

Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed and Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum at the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre. Hamad Al Kaabi / Crown Prince Court - Abu Dhabi

Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed and Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid tour the centre. Mohamed Al Hammadi / Crown Prince Court - Abu Dhabi

A member of the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre makes a presentation. Mohamed Al Hammadi / Crown Prince Court - Abu Dhabi

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid and Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed tour the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre. With them is Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs. Mohamed Al Hammadi / Crown Prince Court - Abu Dhabi

A member of the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre makes a presentation. Mohamed Al Hammadi / Crown Prince Court - Abu Dhabi

DUBAI // The Vice President and Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi visited the Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre and its satellite manufacturing complex on Wednesday.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, and Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, also approved the strategy of the National Space Programme.

Young Emiratis will carry out the programme, which aims to send a probe to reach Mars in 2021, build a settlement on the Red Planet in 2117 and train Emirati astronauts.

“We plan to send the first Emirati astronaut to the space over the next few years, and starting from today, we are preparing the first Emirati and Arab astronaut to join scientists at the International Space Station,” the Dubai Ruler said.

“Our objective is to show the world that we are able to contribute to humanity through quality knowledge and scientific discoveries.”

The UAE is making “outstanding” achievements daily thanks to the leadership of the President, Sheikh Khalifa, and the vision of the Vice President, said Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed.

“We’re so proud to see Emirati youth play a pivotal role in shaping the future of our ambitious nation and exploring new frontiers of knowledge,” he said.

Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai, and Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, attended the tour, reported Wam, the state news agency.

Mohammed Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs and the Future, and Mohammed Al Bowardi, Minister of State for Defence Affairs, and other senior officials were also present.