UNOOSA - WSF - 2023

Policy and Law

#SpaceWatchGL Op’ed: Here’s how the Emirati astronauts get fit and focused for the UAE’s first mission to space

The UAE’s first astronaut, Major Hazza Al Mansouri, takes off for the eight-day mission on September 25 at 5.56pm. When his spacecraft docks with the International Space Station (ISS) at midnight, he will become the first Arab to set foot there.

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UAE’s MBRSC And Japan’s JAXA Sign STEM Education Agreement For Use Of ISS Kibo Technology

ISS, courtesy NASA

The Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) of the United Arab Emirates and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) will cooperatively perform an educational project that uses JAXA’s "Int-Ball", a camera robot for the International Space Station, when the UAE astronaut gets on board the International Space Station for the first time.

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Arab League And UAE Space Agency Discuss Arab Space Cooperation Group

Ahmed Aboul Gheit, Secretary-General of the Arab League, received Eng. Mohamed Nasser Al Ahbabi, Director-General of the UAE Space Agency, at the headquarters of the General Secretariat of the Arab League in Cairo, to discuss an initiative launched by the UAE to establish the "Arab Space Cooperation Group."

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UK Defence Minister Announces Industry Competition To Operate And Maintain SKYNET-6 MILSATCOM Programme

Speaking at the DSEi conference on 11 September 2019, the UK Defence Secretary outlined an ambitious and global vision for defence. He highlighted the UK’s decisive contribution to the fight against Daesh and RFA Mounts Bay’s role providing critical humanitarian relief in response to Hurricane Dorian.

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#SpaceWatchGL Op’ed: China extends terrestrial rivalries into orbit with new space race

On Friday (23 August 2019), I published a short essay on the emerging Asian space race in The Nikkei Asian Review. I believe that the emerging space dynamics especially in Asia will spur new competition as well as cooperation. For example, India and Japan unite over Beijing's moon landings and anti-satellite weapons and find new avenues to collaborate including in joint lunar missions in the future.

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European Global Navigation Satellite Systems Agency Celebrates 15th Anniversary

Jean-Yves Le Gall, President of the Centre national d'études spatiales (CNES) and Chair of the Administrative Board of the European Global Navigation Satellite Systems Agency (GSA), celebrated the agency’s 15th anniversary in Prague with Europe’s space leaders in attendance on 10 September 2019.

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