UAE AND US SIGN LANDMARK MOON SPACE STATION DEAL
▶ Emirates to supply airlock for Nasa’s Lunar Gateway project and gain access for astronauts
The UAE has signed a landmark deal with the US to work together on a Moon space station and send Emiratis to the lunar orbit.
The Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre will contribute an airlock to a Lunar Gateway station being developed by Nasa.
The airlock – an airtight room used to enter and exit the station – will be supplied by the end of this decade. The agreement includes access to the station for UAE astronauts, boosting efforts to send the first Emirati to the Moon’s orbit.
President Sheikh Mohamed confirmed the deal yesterday.
“I was pleased to attend with my brother Mohammed bin Rashid the launch of the UAE’s contributions to the historic Lunar Gateway, which will serve as humanity’s first space station around the Moon,” he wrote on X, formerly Twitter. “Through our long-term investment in space exploration and scientific innovation, the UAE is determined to work alongside its international partners to enable collective progress for all.”
The National revealed in December 2022 that the Emirates was working on the airlock deal.
Salem Al Marri, director general of the MBRSC, told The National it was a “huge step” for the country’s space programme. “This is an agreement essentially between the US and the UAE, represented by Nasa and the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre, in which we will be building and procuring a science and crew airlock and potentially for spacecraft docking, for the gateway programme,” he said.
“The UAE will become a partner of the gateway programme alongside the other four entities that are contributing and in return, of course, we will then secure flights to the gateway.”
Once complete, the airlock will be launched on Nasa’s Space Launch System rocket.
Nasa is developing the station on Earth, before beginning assembly in the Moon’s orbit later this decade.
It is a crucial part of the US space agency’s Artemis
programme, which is intended to build a sustainable human presence on the Moon.
Astronauts will use the Lunar Gateway station for Artemis missions, before descending to the Moon’s surface using landing modules that SpaceX and Blue Origin are developing.
The UAE-US agreement involves only access to the station and a separate agreement would need to be signed for Emirati missions to the lunar surface.
The MBRSC will be working with international companies to develop the airlock, although the price of constructing it was not revealed.
“I think this is something new that the UAE is embarking on,” said Mr Al Marri.
“There’s a lot of knowledge that we have but not necessarily knowledge to build something like an airlock.
“So, what we plan to do is work with the international companies – we haven’t decided who yet – and work as we always do, which is try to get UAE industry involved.”
Mr Al Marri said the UAE would get “full access” to the station, including involvement in scientific activities that take place on board as well as operational elements.
“We will also get full access to training our astronauts, and also there are elements where the UAE would take a very strong position as one of the main players in building this station,” he said.
“It’s a really exciting step for the UAE and to be able to guarantee a mission to the gateway.”
The UAE has four Emiratis in its astronaut corps, any of whom – as well as future members – could be selected for Moon missions.
Mr Al Marri said all four would be trained and assignments for missions would be decided later.
Hazza Al Mansouri was the first Emirati astronaut to fly to the International Space Station, making an eight-day mission in 2019.
Sultan Al Neyadi then embarked on the first extended mission by an Arab astronaut last year, where he also performed the first spacewalk by an Arab astronaut.
Nora Al Matrooshi, the first Emirati woman to be selected as an astronaut candidate, and colleague Mohammed Al Mulla are expected to graduate from a Nasa training programme this month and will become eligible for space missions.
New space nations such as the UAE now have the opportunity to play a crucial role in more advanced projects that would give them more access to space.
The ISS, which has been operating since 2000, was made possible through the space agencies of partners including the US, Russia, Canada and European nations.
But it was mostly astronauts from those partner countries who had the majority of access to the ISS.
Other international partners of the Lunar Gateway station include the space agencies of Europe, Canada and Japan.
The European Space Agency is preparing to contribute habitation and refuelling modules and lunar communications to the gateway.
Canada signed an agreement with Nasa to provide advanced external robotics for the structure.
Japan is scheduled to provide life-support capabilities and additional space where the crew will live, work and conduct research during Artemis missions.
“Today, we announced the UAE’s Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre will provide the crew and science airlock for Nasa’s gateway programme, humanity’s first space station that will orbit the Moon,” Nasa administrator Senator Bill Nelson wrote on X.
“This is an exciting moment for international collaboration in the cosmos and the future of human space exploration.”
Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai, added: “We congratulate our leadership, our people, and the Arab world as the UAE joins the development of the Lunar Gateway space station, alongside the USA, Japan, Canada, and the European
Union. This project stands out as one of the most significant international endeavours in space exploration in the 21st century.
“As an integral part of this project, the first Emirati and Arab astronaut will journey to the Moon upon the project’s completion in 2030.
“Through this project, the UAE will play a vital role in bringing humans back to the Moon after a gap of over 50 years.
“The gateway will serve as a launch pad for spacewalk missions around the Moon and future missions to Mars, embodying the spirit of Sheikh Zayed’s ambition and the boundless aspirations of our nation that knows the impossible is possible.”
Thanks to the UAE’s participation, the world can expect to see an Arab astronaut on the Moon by the year 2030