Latest news with #UAE_Space_Agency
Al Bawaba
5 days ago
- Politics
- Al Bawaba
UAE Hosts Artemis Accords Workshop to Advance Sustainable Space Cooperation
The UAE, represented by the UAE Space Agency, hosted a workshop on the Artemis Accords at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC) on 21 and 22 May, 2025. This gathering brought together delegates from over 30 of the 55 signatory nations, reaffirming their commitment in promoting peaceful, transparent, and sustainable space workshop aims to reinforce the principles of peaceful and responsible space exploration and discuss future approaches to foster a shared commitment to transparency, information exchange, space heritage protection, and ensuring sustainability in outer space workshop focused on advancing the implementation of the Artemis Accords' principles, including non-interference, interoperability, orbital debris mitigation, scientific data sharing, registration of space objects, and outreach efforts. Participants engaged in a tabletop exercise designed to simulate potential scenarios, fostering collaborative approaches to responsible space Excellency Dr. Ahmad Belhoul Al Falasi, Minister of Sports and Chairman of UAE Space Agency, said: 'The UAE's commitment to strengthening international cooperation and fostering responsible space exploration reflects values that lie at the heart of the Artemis Accords. Through this workshop, we aim to promote a peaceful, transparent, and sustainable space for future generations.'Al Falasi added: 'As we witness the evolution of space activities, international collaboration frameworks are becoming highly essential. The Artemis Accords stand as a beacon to ensure that as humanity reaches further into space, we do so while maintaining openness, safety, and mutual respect, so space remains a domain of peace and opportunity for all.'The Abu Dhabi workshop builds upon previous meetings held in Poland (2023) and Canada (2024), underscoring the growing momentum behind the Artemis Accords. These workshops serve as vital platforms for signatories to share best practices, address emerging challenges, and strengthen the collective commitment to sustainable space exploration. Launched in 2020 by the USA with the participation of seven countries - including the UAE - the Artemis Accords are a non-binding set of principles designed to guide civil space exploration towards more sustainable and safe operations. The Artemis Accords are consistent with relevant international treaties, including the Outer Space Treaty, the Registration Convention, and the Agreement on the Rescue and Return of Astronauts.
The National
11-05-2025
- Science
- The National
Arab world's first joint satellite project moves closer to launch
A satellite jointly built by Arab nations is a step closer to launch, as engineers complete a technical review that clears the way for final environmental testing. The 260kg Earth observation satellite, called 813, is the Arab world's first collaborative space mission and is expected to lift off from China aboard a ride-share carrier rocket in June. Its development is being led by the UAE Space Agency at the National Space Science and Technology Centre (NSSTC) in Al Ain, in collaboration with engineers and researchers from 11 Arab countries. 'Enabling local and Arab talents to lead qualitative global projects is the result of a long-term vision that invests in youth, science and regional integration,' Salem Butti Al Qubaisi, director-general of the UAE Space Agency, said in a statement. 'The UAE will continue to support every Arab project that reflects our common ambitions and strengthens our position in the future knowledge-based economy.' The project was announced in 2019 with hopes of bringing Arab nations together and increasing their space sectors' capabilities. The satellite is named after the year 813AD, which marked the start of scientific achievements for the House of Wisdom in Baghdad, ushering the Arab world into a period of significant intellectual advancement, referred to as the Islamic Golden Era. Engineers from the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, Bahrain, Sudan, Kuwait, Oman, and Lebanon have taken part in the satellite's development. The recent system integration review helped to confirm that the satellite's design, structure and subsystems were all ready to move into the final testing phase before launch. The next tests will expose the spacecraft to extreme vibration and temperature conditions similar to those at launch. Amar Vora, head of space for Serco Middle East, told The National that the project was a 'powerful signal from the Arab world'. 'Much like Europe's model under the European Space Agency, where long-standing co-operation has transformed Europe into a space leader, this satellite shows that Arab nations can also leverage collective strength to advance strategic capabilities,' he said. 'It brings together engineers, scientists, researchers and policymakers across the region in a way that builds not only hardware, but human capital, sovereign capability and institutional trust.' Satellite 813 will support environmental monitoring across the region by collecting highly detailed data across many wavelengths. Hyperspectral sensors – still a relatively new technology in the global space sector – allow for in-depth analysis of soil conditions, internal water quality, crop health, land cover changes and pollution levels. Data gathered from the satellite will be useful for countries such as Sudan, which has been experiencing prolonged droughts and water shortages that have severely damaged agriculture and livelihoods. 'We've taken our time because hyperspectral technology is still new to us,' Eiman Al Shamsi, programme manager for Satellite 813, told The National in an interview in September. 'Very few countries have built payloads with this capability. It took time to match our design requirements with the performance we needed.' It is not yet clear which Chinese carrier the satellite would fly on, but the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation operates several ride-share missions, using the Long March-6, Long March-8 and Long March-2D rockets.
