UAE conquers space in every heart

The UAE and the Arab world are on cloud nine, and rightly so.

Emirati astronaut Hazzaa Al Mansoori, 35, has successfully taken off onboard a Soyuz rocket from Kazakhstan to script history by becoming the first Arab on the International Space Station (ISS), drawing cheers from across the globe.

“The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step,” once wrote Lao Tzu. Founding father late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan on Nov.8, 1975, 44 years ago, initiated that first step for the UAE to join the space sector by creating a satellite communication station in Jebel Ali, Dubai.

There has been no looking back.

In the years that followed, the UAE’s unrelenting attempts to achieve quantum leaps in the areas of space have borne fruits, witnessing a trail of successful missions.

The UAE has already launched several satellites, which are currently orbiting around the world. Some of them are: DubaiSat 1 (launched in 2009), DubaiSat 2 (launched in 2013),   YahSat 1 (launched in 2011), YahSat 2 (launched in 2012), KhalifaSat (launched in 2018) and Nayif-1 (launched in 2017)

The leadership has been emphasising that impossible is a word used by some people who fear to dream big.

Stupendous goals have been set. The UAE Space Agency and MBRSC have signed an agreement to build an unmanned probe to Mars. The UAE would be the first Arab and Islamic country to be sending an unmanned spacecraft to Mars. The country would send the spacecraft by 2021, coinciding with its 50th anniversary.

Sheikh Zayed had a driving ambition to explore the space. That ambition was the source of inspiration for the UAE to strive to realise his dream. Hazzaa Al Mansoori’s launch into the space unambiguously reinforces the nation’s ability to excel in unexplored domains.

Qualified young Emiratis, such as astronauts Hazzaa Al Mansoori and Sultan Al Neyadi, play leading roles in the space industry, driving the country’s economic diversification policies supporting UAE Vision 2021 and UAE Centennial 2071.

The selection earlier of Hazzaa Al Mansoori and Sultan Al Neyadi to travel to the ISS marked an extraordinarily proud moment as they were whittled down from a total 4,022 applicants to the UAE Astronaut Programme, after a series of advanced medical and psychological tests, as well as personal interviews, according to the highest international standards.

The space sector has become integral to many aspects of life from telecommunications to broadcasting and monitoring of weather and natural disasters. The current phase is witnessing the fastest growth the space industry has ever seen.

Recognising this aspect, the UAE has moved way ahead of others in the region in achieving its space goals.

Over the past two years, UAE investments in space have exceeded Dhs22 billion. According to the UAE Space Agency, UAESA, there are over 57 space-related establishments within the country, which have led to the creation of 1,500 jobs.

The UAE’s exceptional achievements in the space sector are another indication that the future path of the nation is based on a solid scientific foundation.

UAE Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum’s Twitter message well reflects the mood of the nation: “Hazza Al Mansoori’s entry to space sends a message to Arab youth that we can march forward, that we can keep pace with the rest of the world. Our next station is Mars through the Hope Probe, competently designed by our Emirati youth.”