A UAE Space agency chief has laid out a road map to help the nation reach for the stars by bringing together a cross-section of industry, government departments and private companies to secure crucial funding, train up talent and provide a launch pad for future missions.
The Emirates put on a united front at the world's largest space conference in Milan this week by gathering its key organisations in the burgeoning sector under a single banner for the first time.
UAE-based organisations have been participating in the annual International Astronautical Congress for many years, but always had individual booths to showcase its projects.
Most of the major national projects like the UAE Astronaut Programme and the airlock being developed for Nasa’s lunar Gateway station falls under the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC), a government-run organisation based in Dubai.
The centre was formed in 2006 and was a vital player in helping the sector grow, including developing the country's first Earth-observation satellites, securing flights to the International Space Station for two Emirati astronauts and negotiating the Gateway deal with Nasa, in which an Emirati will fly to the lunar station in exchange on a future mission.
And when the UAE Space Agency was formed in 2014, it helped to create a full ecosystem by attracting companies to set up operations in the country, launching a Dh3 billion fund for organisations and providing support in licensing for businesses.
This year, however, the UAE Space Pavilion is helping to show how the country has a growing space ecosystem comprising private companies, government agencies and academic institutions that are involved in missions and looking to form partnerships.
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