50 startups working in space activities
Emirates Space: 7 Emirati satellites are in the process of manufacturing
3000 people work within the country's space sector.
Photography: Patrick Castillo
Mohammed Al-Ahbabi: "We are associated with more than 33 space agencies, and we have joint projects with them."
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The Director General of the Emirates Space Agency, Dr. Eng. Muhammad Al-Ahbabi, said that the UAE currently owns and operates 10 satellites in orbit, ranging from communications, scientific and imaging satellites, in addition to seven satellites currently in the manufacturing phase, pointing out that the Muzn Sat educational satellite Environmental Designed and built by Khalifa University of Science and Technology and the American University of Ras Al Khaimah, under the supervision of the UAE Space Agency.
Emirati investments
Al Ahbabi added, in a speech during the activities of the second day of the "World Summit for the Aviation Industry", which is holding its fifth session virtually, that the UAE invested in the space sector about 20 years ago, which has achieved many achievements, as there are three operators who own and operate satellites. Artificial Intelligence such as «Yahsat Satellite Communications Company». There are also three satellites in the field of satellite photography at the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Center and the Thuraya Communications Company.
He pointed out that the UAE Space Agency was the first agency in the region, and it is a body concerned with the coordination and development of the space sector in the UAE.
"The Hope Probe"
Al-Ahbabi continued: “In 2014, the ambitious project, the Hope Probe, which was successfully launched last July, was announced on a mission to Mars, and has a scientific goal,” indicating that it will reach Mars in February of next year, and will collect information On the Martian atmosphere.
He stressed that this information will be shared worldwide with 200 scientific institutions and institutes, which will benefit from this research.
Education and research
He added, "As for space education, we now have national universities that offer space education. They are: the Emirates University in Al Ain, Khalifa University in Abu Dhabi, and the University of Sharjah, which offer five degrees in the field of space."
Al-Ahbabi pointed out that there are five research and development centers, including the "Mohammed bin Rashid Space Center", which also manufactures and operates satellites, in addition to four research centers in national universities concerned with space science and technology.
He said, "In the field of international relations and strategic partnerships, we have come a long way in establishing partnerships with most international space agencies, as we are associated with more than 33 space agencies, and we have joint projects with them."
Al-Ahbabi pointed to Arab cooperation, saying: “We have programs and initiatives that we are proud to work on, the most important of which is the Arab Space Cooperation Group, which was launched with the aim of establishing an Arab scientific conglomerate concerned with this vital field, and today there are institutions from more than 14 countries within this group, which We hope that it will expand and include all Arab countries, and be the nucleus of an Arab space agency in the future. ”
Emirati program
Al-Ahbabi affirmed that there is a great focus on the part of the UAE Space Program on how the space sector can contribute to the knowledge economy. He said: “We have come a long way in terms of launching a strategy to boost investment, and today we have 50 startups working in space activities, and about 3000 work in the space sector. A person, a large proportion of them are young men and women. ”
Strata ... a digital transformation strategy
Ismail Ali Abdullah, CEO of Strata, which specializes in manufacturing airframe parts from advanced composite materials and wholly owned by Mubadala Investment Company, shed light on Strata’s strategy for digital transformation, which includes investment in research and development and advanced technologies. In addition to building an integrated network of partnerships with local universities, technology companies, and global aircraft manufacturers.
He said, "The employment of the Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies in industrial facilities has become an urgent necessity for development and growth, and investment in research and development, building industrial design capabilities, and developing innovative methods of innovative manufacturing is gaining great importance."
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