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The Board of Directors of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Center, MBRSC, held a meeting chaired by Talal Humaid Belhoul, Vice President, MBRSC to discuss developments related to future projects at the Center, aligned with the strategic plan of the UAE’s National Space Program. The meeting was attended by Hamad Obaid Al Mansoori, Chairman, MBRSC, Yousuf Hamad AlShaibani, Director-General, MBRSC, along with the members of the Board of Directors, Mohammad Abdullah Alzaffin, Mansoor Juma Buosaiba, Mohamed Saif Al Meqbaali, and others.
During the meeting, Belhoul was briefed on the reports of the MBRSC’s current projects, strategy and plans that endeavor to support the country’s strategy in the space sector and its contributions to other sectors, within the UAE’s National Space Program. Belhoul appreciated the efforts of the work done by the team at the center and the support they provided to government agencies and vital sectors in the UAE.
Stressing on the importance of the Center’s role in actively contributing to the promotion of space exploration in the UAE, he said, “Space is a competitive arena for scientific knowledge, and we are proud that the UAE is one of nine countries in the world that has an active space program. We have achieved a lot in this short span, but we have much more to accomplish. We will work towards achieving the vision of the wise leadership of the UAE to be one of the leading countries in terms of knowledge and scientific achievements.”
He added, “The Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Center is run by a team of industrious and creative minds who are constantly aiming to scale new heights. We also have Emirati youth who are eager to join the space sector and contribute to its ambitious efforts. That is why I am fully confident that we are today living in an era of knowledge, creative ideas, and innovation. The Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Center along with other organisations in the UAE’s space sector is proud to be part of the first 50 years of our glorious Union. We are also ready to contribute towards a future centered around sustainability, prosperity, development and scientific advancements.”
The Board meeting shed light on the latest developments regarding the Center’s projects and emphasized the strategic objectives of the Center’s programs, as well as their scientific and development goals. Belhoul reviewed the program and projects with the Center’s engineers and was briefed about the progress of the testing and evaluation process for the applicants of the second batch of the UAE Astronaut Program.
He also visited the ground control center for the Emirates Mars Mission “Hope Probe”, and met with the team to review the progress of the Mission’s control operations, and was updated on the first successful trajectory correction maneuver of the Probe. Additionally, reports were also presented on the services provided by the Center through its satellites KhalifaSat and DubaiSat-2 along with the satellite imagery service “Mosaic” offered to government and non-government institutions.
During the meeting, he stressed the importance of the strategy of the UAE’s National Space Program and achieving its objectives along with focusing on the strategic direction for all projects at the Center. He also discussed the plans of the Center in the space sector and its strategy to empower national cadres within the UAE’s National Space Program, stressing on the importance of motivating future generations to move towards science in various fields, as it is the basis for scientific advancement.
