With its space sector’s comprehensive scope and continuing unprecedented

pace of growth, the UAE is shaping the future of Earth observation, satellites
and space exploration. Valued at more than US$400 billion globally, the
sector is having a transformational impact on businesses, citizens and
governments around the world, including within the UAE.
The UAE's interest in space dates back to the mid-1970s, when the visionary
Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan met with the Apollo mission team and
emphasized that the UAE is continuously striving to be at the forefront of
humanity’s development and seeks to acquire every innovation that may
benefit its people now and in the future.
The Arab world’s legacy in space stretches back centuries to when maritime
traders relied on constellations to navigate the seas, and Arab astronomers
were at the forefront of naming our galaxy’s stars. Today, the UAE is in the
midst of revitalizing the Arab world’s historic leadership in the study of
space. The nation is working with international partners and talented future
Emirati leaders to explore Mars, conduct pioneering research on the ISS,
deliver cutting-edge telecommunications solutions around the world, monitor
the impacts of climate change, and establish world-class space science and
engineering institutions.
The UAE’s national space sector is comprised of 57 space-related entities,
providing 3,100 rewarding jobs and including five space science and
research centers, three universities offering space degrees, and the world-
renowned satellite operators Al Yah Satellite Communications Company
(Yahsat) and Thuraya, YahSat’s mobile satellite services subsidiary. In total,
the emerging space nation’s investments in the sector have already
exceeded AED 22 billion.
The nation’s commitment to the commercial space sector and
telecommunications industry extends back decades, well before the
establishment of the UAE Space Agency. The UAE was an early and active
member in the development and application of a number of regional and
international satellite and radio-communication regulatory frameworks and is
today a signatory to four major international space treaties, including the
Agreement on the Rescue of Astronauts, the Return of Astronauts and the
Return of Objects Launched into Outer Space (Rescue Agreement).
The UAE’s first satellite, Thuraya-1, which was launched in 2000, became the
Middle East’s first mobile telecommunications satellite. Other commercial
satellites include Al Yah 3, owned by Yahsat, which provides cutting-edge Ka-
band coverage and support to 19 markets across Africa, covering 60 percent
of the population, as well as more than 95 percent of the Brazilian
population.
Currently, the UAE has 10 satellites in orbit, each serving a different purpose,
with another 8 satellites being manufactured.
The first satellite designed, tested and manufactured entirely by Emirati
engineers, KhalifaSat, was launched in October of 2018. The advanced Earth
observation satellite was designed and built at the Mohammed bin Rashid
Space Center (MBRSC). Shortly thereafter, MYSAT-1, a nanosatellite built by
a team of 20 UAE students was launched, and Masdar Institute of Science
and Technology and AURAK are hard at work on developing a 3U CubeSat
called MeznSat, which is due to be launched later this year, to study
methane and other gases in the Earth’s atmosphere.
In addition, the Satellite 813 is currently under construction at the National
Space Science and Technology Center (NSSTC) at UAE University in Al Ain.
The project forms a part of the Arab Space Cooperation Group’s efforts to
further develop the region’s space capabilities and the satellite will have the
capability to contribute to various sustainability initiatives around the world.
The Arab Space Cooperation Group is an initiative launched by the UAE and
comprises 14 Arab countries. It holds the objective of consolidating the
strengths and capabilities of the Arab world in order to enhance its
contribution to the global space sector and space science research and
development.
The UAE has collaborated with international institutions and companies in
the development of its expansive satellite portfolio. The UAE worked with
Orbital ATK, recently acquired by Northup Grumman, to build the Al Yah 3
satellite in Virginia; partnered with Boeing to build the Thuraya-3 satellite,
which provides a range of services over a large geographic region; and is
collaborating with Arianespace and Airbus Defense and Space to develop and
launch its Falcon Eye satellites.
The nation’s international cooperation extends well beyond the manufacture
and design of space assets. The UAE Space Agency has signed more than 30
significant agreements with major international space sector bodies,
including NASA, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), Roscosmos, and
the Indian Space Agency. These framework agreements provide significant
opportunities for mutual collaboration in areas of research, education, policy
formation and space sector regulation.
The UAE is a member of, and contributes significantly to defining the future
of the space sector through its involvement with United Nations Office for
Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA), the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer
Space (COPUOS), International Space Exploration Coordination Group
(ISECG), Group on Earth Observations (GEO), and the International
Astronautical Federation (IAF).
The UAE Space Agency participated in every high-level forum hosted by
UNOOSA since it became a member in 2016, including two forums held in
Dubai. The Agency’s steadfast participation and contribution to the forums
culminated in the historic signing of the Dubai Declaration, which brought
together the broader space community to set recommendations to further
shape and position space activities as drivers of innovation, socio-economic
development and diplomacy for a sustainable future.
This regional and international engagement has enabled the UAE to help
shape the future of the space sector and directly contributed to its own
ambitious and expansive space exploration program. The missions, activities
and goals that make up the program are outlined and regulated by a
comprehensive series of strategies, plans and laws developed by the UAE
Space Agency since its establishment five years ago.
These include the UAE National Space Policy, launched in 2016, and
approved on September 4, 2016, by the Council of Ministers, headed by His
Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime
Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, which guided the development of the
UAE’s National Space Law, National Space Strategy, and National Space
Investment Promotion Plan, which were collectively approved by the
country’s Cabinet of Ministers and our Federal National Council in 2019.
The UAE’s National Space Law is the first of its kind in the Middle East and
one of the most comprehensive and forward-looking in existence today. It
encompasses a wide range of potential activities, including manned space
flight and space mining, and creates an environment that encourages
investment in space science, research, education and innovation, while also
serving as a model for other emerging space nations.
Alongside the law, the country’s National Space Strategy aims to strengthen
relations with international organizations in the space sector, support
scientific research, promote innovation, and attract and train pioneering and
innovative individuals to lead the space industry both locally and
internationally.
Building upon both the strategy and the expansive scope of the law, the
UAE’s National Space Investment Promotion Plan seeks to attract foreign
investment in the country’s emerging space sector, while also encouraging
the country’s own investment vehicles to invest in the industry, either within
or outside the country.
While often less attention-grabbing than the UAE’s ambitious space
exploration efforts, these regulatory frameworks and legislative documents
represent the foundation of the country’s entire space program and serve as
examples of best practice and the means by which emerging nations can
support the entire planet’s efforts to explore space and better understand
the universe. These frameworks enable research, attract investment,
facilitate space missions, define international partnerships, and ultimately
contribute to the development of the entire global space sector.
The UAE is undoubtedly leading the region’s space exploration efforts,
reflected by the nation’s ambitious goal of launching the world’s first Arab
interplanetary mission to Mars in July of this year, with the mission’s
spacecraft scheduled to reach the Red Planet’s orbit in 2021 – the same year
the UAE will celebrate its 50 th anniversary.
The Emirates Mars Mission, which is focused on the development and launch
of the Hope Probe, continues to progress and is rapidly approaching
completion and readiness for launch. In 2018, the Emirati team leading its
development completed its design phase, and in 2019 its assembly was
completed and testing of its various systems and instruments began.
Once orbiting Mars, the Hope Probe will analyze the planet’s atmosphere and
attempt to develop a comprehensive understanding of the Martian
atmosphere. The probe, in particular, will study the climate change
experienced by Mars as well as other factors such as the reason for Mars
losing hydrogen and oxygen into space. It will also observe weather
phenomena on the planet, such as dust storms, and work to uncover the
causes of the corrosion of the surface on Mars.
Studying the Red Planet will help us gain a better understanding of our
planet and its atmosphere, hopefully helping us to mitigate climate change
on Earth in addition to exploring the potential for humans to inhabit the
planet.
The Hope Probe will be launched from the Tanegashima Space Center
(TNSC), in Japan, where it will be transported in a rocket similar to those
used to launch satellites into space. It is expected to take the Hope Probe
seven to nine months to arrive in orbit around the Red Planet.
In the meantime, MBRSC’s efforts to develop a Mars Science City outside of
Dubai are progressing steadily, with the end goal of welcoming scientists and
researchers from around the world to conduct experiments in a simulated
Martian-like environment.
In the end, both the Emirates Mars Mission and Mars Science City are merely
the UAE’s initial footsteps towards the greater goal of bringing together
nations from around the world to establish a human settlement on Mars by
the year 2117. This ambitious challenge and the UAE’s entire space program
serve as sources of inspiration to millions across the region and the world
and reflect the high level of public interest in the space sector in the UAE,
particularly amongst youth.
The UAE Astronaut Program is among the nation’s most visible and popular
initiatives, having attracted more than 4,000 applicants from a range of
scientific sectors and ultimately leading to the selection of Hazzaa Al
Mansouri to become first Emirati astronaut. He spent eight days on the
International Space Station (ISS) in the fall of 2019, conducting a range of
experiments and documenting his journey in great detail.
UAE Nationals across the country are currently being encouraged to apply for
the second round of the UAE Astronaut Program, with those from all
backgrounds being considered - from engineers to pilots, military personnel
to teachers, and those involved in STEM and other professions.
Alongside the UAE’s international headline-grabbing projects and programs,
it is also constantly developing and expanding the capabilities and activities
of its national research and development centers.
The National Space Science and Technology Center (NSSTC) at UAE
University in Al Ain, Mohammed bin Rashid Space Center (MBRSC) in Dubai,
Sharjah Academy of Astronomy, Space sciences & Technology, NYU Abu
Dhabi’s Center for Space Science, and the Yahsat Space Laboratory are in
the midst of developing innovative new technologies and pushing the
envelope when it comes to space research.
The NSSTC is working to develop national research programs in space
science and technology by conducting cutting-edge applied research,
training future UAE space leaders, creating new space technologies, and
promoting space science and technology across the country through
educational programs.
MBRSC is working on the Emirates Mars Mission’s Hope Probe – a historic
undertaking in its own right, under the supervision of the UAE Space Agency.
MBRSC has also successfully developed KhalifaSat, Dubai Sat-1, Dubai Sat-2
and the Nayif-1 nanosatellite, which were designed and manufactured by
talented Emirati engineers. In addition, the center is responsible for a range
of other space projects such as the UAE Astronaut Program.
The Sharjah Academy of Astronomy, Space sciences & Technology conducts
research on space science and technology, and has observatories and
laboratories for developing a wide variety of satellites. The NYU Abu Dhabi
Center for Space Science was established in 2015, and primarily focuses on
the study of the internal structure of the Sun and stars through stellar
seismology and modelling. The Yahsat Space Laboratory, established by
experts from the Masdar Institute, Yahsat and Orbital ATK, strives to develop
and advance technologies within the space sector. It does so by providing
the students and faculty of Masdar Institute’s Masters in Space Systems and
Technology with the facilities required to construct, test and launch
miniature satellites.
These institutions, together with every other aspect of the UAE’s space
sector – from the ambitious Mars mission to a detailed Space Law – form a
holistic, comprehensive and growing hub for space within the Middle East.
With its international reach, and continuous engagement with the space
community and regulatory organizations, the UAE is shaping the future of
Earth observation, satellites and space exploration within the region and
around the world.