ABU DHABI, 17th November, 2023 (WAM) -- H.H. Lt. General Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior, has attended a lecture organised by Majlis Mohamed bin Zayed, titled ‘The UAE’s Space Journey,’ at Al Bateen Palace in Abu Dhabi.
The lecture featured Salem Al Marri, Director-General of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC), as the main speaker and moderator, alongside UAE astronauts Hazzaa Al Mansoori and Sultan Al Neyadi.
Al Marri began by outlining why nations choose to explore space and the resulting benefits it can bring, both to their own people and to humanity. He traced the history of the UAE’s satellite programme, noting its rapid progress which has enabled its latest project – the MBZ-SAT – to be designed, developed and manufactured in the UAE be a team of Emirati engineers.
Hazzaa Al Mansoori, the first Arab astronaut to visit the International Space Station, explained how the UAE Space Programme owes its origins to the vision of the late Sheikh Zayed, who in the early 1970s invited the Apollo astronauts to visit the UAE and share their experiences of space exploration.
Discussing his own journey, Al Mansoori recalled being in the audience for a Majlis Mohamed bin Zayed lecture by American astronauts Scott and Mark Kelly five years ago (his fellow astronaut Sultan Al Neyadi was also among the audience that day). He said that standing on the same stage today in his capacity as an Emirati astronaut showed that “in the UAE, we don't know the word impossible.”
Astronaut Sultan Al Neyadi talked about his role as Al Mansoori’s backup during the UAE’s first mission to the ISS, and his own six-month mission earlier this year – the longest ever by an Arab astronaut – during which he became the first Arab to perform a spacewalk. He recounted the comprehensive training programme completed by both astronauts and spoke about the 200 research experiments he carried out during his mission.
Space has become an important strategic sector for the UAE, with the country’s leadership determined that the achievements made so far will pave the way for further space exploration and research, inspiring not only the next generation of astronauts but also scientists, engineers, and creative talents.
The lecture featured pre-recorded contributions from Adnan Al Rais, Assistant Director-General, Space Operations and Exploration Sector, MBRSC; Fatma Lootah, Manager, Space Life Sciences Section at MBRSC; Saeed Al Emadi, Manager, Studies & Initiatives Section at MBRSC; Dr. Hanan Al Suwaidi, Chief Business Officer, Dubai Academic Health Corporation; and Saud Karmustaji, Director of Strategic Communications, MBRSC.
The lecture will be broadcast on Saturday, 18th November at 5pm on Emarat TV Channel and will be available to watch afterwards on the Majlis Mohamed bin Zayed YouTube channel (youtube.com/@MajlisMohamedbinZayed).