UAE joins 34th Space Symposium in Colorado
COLORADO: A high level delegation representing the UAE Space Agency participated in the 34th Space Symposium, held this week in Colorado, USA. The symposium brought together space leaders from different parts of the space sector including government, industry, and military experts from around the world.
Led by Dr. Ahmad Bin Abdullah Humaid Belhoul Al Falasi, Minister of State for Higher Education and Advanced Skills and Chairman of the UAE Space Agency, the delegation included Dr. Eng. Mohammed Nasser Al Ahbabi, Director General of the UAE Space Agency, and other senior oficials and executives from the Agency.
Dr Al Falasi took part in a panel titled Emerging Space Economies, where he discussed the accelerated impact space activities has had on the UAE’S economic diversiication agenda in a relatively short period of time. Dr Al Falasi offered a unique perspective with respect to the contribution of the sector on the transition to a knowledge-based economy, working in cooperation with international counterparts.
The space agency chairman noted that the national focus on space activities represents an investment in the future, bringing technological capabilities, educational beneits and advanced applications of STEM that impact other sectors, as well as produce inancial returns.
Speaking at the event, Dr. Al Falasi said: “The exploration and discovery of our universe is the greatest venture ever undertaken by mankind, and we believe that no country or community is too small to contribute. Every nation can have a role to play in these global efforts. It requires signiicant and collaborative efforts on the part of actors all over the world, particularly with regards to the transfer of knowledge and advanced skills.”
On the side-lines of the space symposium, the UAE Space Agency held high-level meetings with international counterparts including, Robert Lightfoot, Acting Administrator of NASA, Byungseon Jeong, Assistant Minister of Science and ICT of the Republic of Korea, President of the Canadian space Agency Sylvain Laporte, as well as representatives from Australia, Luxembourg, and various major industry players.
The UAE delegation, including Dr. Ahmad Al Falasi and Dr. Eng. Mohammed Al Ahbabi also met and congratulated the recently appointed President of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) Dr. Hiroshi Yamakawa, and discussed future cooperation and ongoing activities in regards to the Mars Hope Probe and its launch in 2020.
Speaking after the meeting, Dr Al Falasi said: “The Hope Probe is our irst major mission to Mars and one of our main projects in terms of space exploration.”