Sheikh Mohammed marks second anniversary of UAE Space Agency

The UAE Space Agency has developed and integrated the space sector, signed important agreements and launched its strategy, said Dr Khalifa Al Romaithi, its chairman.

ABU DHABI // The UAE Space Agency marked its second anniversary this week by reaffirming its commitment to make the UAE a country a leader in space science.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, marked the occasion by posting a stamp issued by his father 50 years ago that celebrated the field.

“We dreamed of such future ideas,” Sheikh Mohammed said on Sunday on Twitter. “Today we have a Dh20 billion space sector, with a mission to Mars driven by a wholly Emirati team of scientists.

“Dreams begin with ideas, a word, an image or even a postage stamp. As generations work to fulfil our dreams, we develop concrete realities.”

Dr Khalifa Al Romaithi, chairman of the agency, said that the agency is determined to celebrate the UAE’s 50th anniversary by sending the Amal probe to Mars in 2021.

Since its foundation on July 16, 2014, the agency has worked to realise the vision formed in 1973, when the late Founding Father Sheikh Zayed met a Nasa delegation. It has formed the country’s national space policy and established connections with Nasa and the national agencies of France, Russia, Japan, China and the UK.

It is the first Arab country to join the International Space Exploration Coordination Group, a coalition of space agencies dedicated to human and robotic space exploration.

“Despite being recently established, the successes achieved by the UAE Space Agency in this short period have put it on the right path for catching up with its counterpart agencies in the global space sector,” said Dr Al Romaithi.