UAE Space Agency launches Emirati youth council

The establishment of the youth council aims to empower the next generation of space leaders and marks quite a year for the agency

Dr. Mohammed Al Ahbabi, director general of the UAE Space Agency, at celebrations for their 3rd anniversary. Vidhyaa Chandramohan / The National

The UAE Space Agency has launched a youth council to inspire young Emiratis with an interest in space.

The move is part of the agency's efforts to develop a new generation of Emirati space leaders.

"The projects target Emirati youth who ... have a passion for problem-solving," said Ahmad Al Falasi, Minister of State for Higher Education and Advanced Skills and chairman of the UAE Space Agency.

"The UAE Space Agency attracts some of the most talented and brightest minds in the country, with its one-of-a-kind projects in sectors such as space, digital infrastructure, clean energy and advanced skills and sciences. The council creates an enabling environment for youth.”

Mohammed Al Ahbabi, Director General of the UAE Space Agency, added that encouraging youth into the space sector is crucial for the development of the country.

“This council is vital to ensuring the voices of our youth are heard within the national and international space community."

2017 has been quite the year for the UAE Space Agency. Chief among them was the launch of the UAE astronaut programme by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, earlier this month. After a rigorous selection programme, four Emirati astronauts will join the International Space Station on what will be the first UAE space mission.

Several events, meanwhile, were organised on the side-lines of the launch ceremony on Thursday at the space agency's headquarters in Abu Dhabi. Emirati inventor Fatima Al Kaabi, who was behind such projects as a solar bag that can charge electronic devices, showcased some of her inventions, while students from the Masdar Institute presented their model of a satellite.

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