Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre participates in 67th IAC in Mexico

Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre is participating in the 67th International Astronautical Congress (IAC), one of the leading conferences and events on the international space sector calendar. IAC is being held in the period from 26^th to 30^th September at Expo Guadalajara in Mexico, under the slogan ‘Making space accessible and affordable to all countries’. During its participation in this event, the centre will shed light on the developmental and strategic plans of the UAE and Dubai, including the UAE’s strategy for space technology to become a key economic sector in the coming years.

The centre will also showcase the UAE’s and Dubai’s achievements in technology and space, and the space projects under the umbrella of MBRSC, including the Emirates Mars Mission – Hope, KhalifaSat and DubaiSat-2, in addition to the latest and most advanced space applications, satellite imaging services, ground station services and support services for other satellites which take the competitive edge of the UAE’s space sector to a new level.

Commenting on the centre’s participation, His Excellency Yousuf Al Shaibani, Director General of MBRSC, said: “The International Astronautical Congress serves as a perfect platform for establishing communication between decision makers in the space sector from around the world, discussing the most notable developments in the space field and considering the promising prospects in this industry.”

He added: “MBRSC’s participation is a valuable opportunity for sharing with the world the UAE space programme, space projects, and our integrated approach aimed at achieving economic diversification and sustainable development in the country.

“In 10 years, the UAE has succeeded in building specialised Emirati teams, developing a satellite industry and providing satellite services for local and international entities. In the near future, the UAE will contribute in enriching human knowledge through the launch of the Emirates Mars Mission – Hope. Through these projects, the UAE aims to organise, develop and promote a sustainable space industry so as to serve man and humanity, based on the highest standards of excellence and innovation," Al Shaibani concluded.

For his part, Engineer Salem Al Marri, Assistant Director General for Scientific and Technical Affairs at MBRSC, said: “Through this participation, MBRSC looks forward to sharing with the global space community its latest space services, designed featuring the latest technology and according to the highest standards of quality and efficiency to meet the needs of existing and potential customers”.

He added: “KhalifaSat, which is being manufactured in the clean rooms at the MBRSC Space Technology Labs by a team of Emirati engineers, will broaden the scope of services offered by the centre to serve the needs of government and non-government institutions and entities, both locally and internationally. KhalifaSat has advanced features and technology in terms of image resolution, capacity and download speed."

Mona Al Qemzi, Assistant Director General for Administrative & Financial Affairs at MBRSC, stated: “MBRSC is highly experienced in determining the future directions for implementing new projects in the fields of space science and technology, while investing in human resources and establishing the future generation of specialists. MBRSC’s participation in international events and conferences such as the International Astronautical Congress proves the success of the strategy adopted by the centre over the past years, and creates an opportunity for us to share experiences and benefit from other’s experiences in space sector.”

It is worth mentioning that IAC is an annual conference organised by the International Astronautical Federation, in cooperation with the International Academy of Astronautics and the International Institute of Space Law, since 1950. The 67^th session of this year will be hosted by the Mexican Space Agency under the theme ‘Making space accessible and affordable to all countries’, and will be attended by a wide range of senior executives in space agencies, decision makers, researchers, academics and experts in the space industry from 70 countries. It is expected that the event will attract over 3,500 participants this year.