Abu dhabi: The UAE space sector achieved remarkable milestones in 2025, strengthening the country’s position as a global hub for advanced technology and knowledge-based industries. These milestones underscore the UAE’s ongoing commitment to enhancing its space capabilities and its determination to expand international cooperation in this field, with a particular focus on developing a new generation of Emirati astronauts, as well as administrative and technical teams specialised in the space sector.
According to Emirates News Agency, today marks the beginning of World Space Week, declared by the United Nations to be celebrated annually from October 4 to 10, in recognition of the contributions of space science and technology to improving human life. The World Space Week is the largest annual space event in the world. It helps build up the workforce of tomorrow by inspiring students; demonstrates visible public support for the space programme; educates the public about space activities; and fosters international cooperation in space outreach and education. This year’s theme ‘Living in Space’ explores humanity’s journey toward making space a habitat, emphasizing the innovative technologies, challenges, and collaborative efforts that make this vision a reality.
The observance comes as the UAE began the first quarter of this year by launching six diverse satellites. On January 4, the Thuraya 4 satellite was launched, along with four others-Mohammed bin Zayed Sat, Al Ain Sat-1, HCT-SAT 1, and the second phase of the Foresight satellite constellation-followed by the first Emirati radar satellite, ‘UnionSat’, launched on March 15.
The UAE also consolidated its active and influential presence in the global space science and technology through the signing, in February, of a cooperation agreement between the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) and Thales Alenia Space, its strategic partner in the development of the Pressure Equalisation Unit of the Gateway lunar space station. Under this agreement, the UAE will develop and operate the Lunar Gateway pressure equalization module for up to 15 years, with the possibility of extension.
The UAE will be responsible for operating the Pressure Equalisation Unit of the station for a potentially extendable period of up to 15 years. The unit will weigh 10 tonnes, with a length of 10 metres and width of 4 metres, while the size of the entire station is 19 x 20 x 42 metres. This will enable the UAE to have a permanent seat and scientific contributions in the largest lunar and space exploration programme. It will be among the first countries to send an astronaut to the moon during this project, with priority access to advanced scientific and engineering data gathered by the station, enhancing its journey of knowledge.
In May, the UAE witnessed another strategic step with the signing of an agreement between MBRSC and the US company Firefly Aerospace, under which the latter will provide the lunar lander to deploy the Rashid 2 Rover under the Emirates Lunar Mission to the far side of the moon. Under the strategic agreement, the Rashid 2 Rover will be deployed to the far side of the Moon on Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost lander stacked on the Elytra Dark orbital vehicle. The Rashid 2 Rover will join Blue Ghost Mission 2 in 2026, which will be Firefly Aerospace’s second lunar mission, alongside payloads from Australia, the European Space Agency (ESA), and NASA.
In parallel, the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) has reaffirmed its strategic partnership with the French space agency (CNES) as it prepares for the Emirates Lunar Mission’s Rashid Rover 2, scheduled to be launched to the surface of the Moon in 2026. Building on the successful cooperation initiated with the first Rashid Rover, both organisations are working closely to enhance the scientific and technological capabilities of the new mission. Under the new agreement, CNES will provide two cameras and a CASPEX module, proven in previous space missions, to be installed on Rashid Rover 2. These cameras will equip Rashid Rover 2 to deliver high-resolution imagery to support scientific objectives on the lunar surface. The collaboration also extends to contributing to image processing, with specialists supporting to ensure the highest quality of data, which will be critical to advancing lunar research.
Meanwhile, the National Space Academy, a UAE Space Agency initiative dedicated to developing a skilled and future-ready national workforce, has launched the Space Mission and Satellite Engineering Programme (SMSE) in partnership with EDGE. Delivered in collaboration with EDGE entities FADA and BEACON RED, the SMSE programme aims to build the UAE’s next generation of satellite engineers, system architects, and mission leaders through hands-on space mission systems training. The programme equips Emirati professionals, researchers, and graduates with specialised expertise in satellite mission design, space systems engineering, and mission operations, positioning them to support and accelerate the development of the UAE’s space capabilities.
In another major development, the UAE Space Agency announced in April the completion of the final design phase of the Emirates Mission to the Asteroid Belt, the first scientific mission of its kind to study seven asteroids within the main belt between Mars and Jupiter. Earlier this year, the UAE Space Agency and the Technology Innovation Institute (TII) signed an agreement to design and develop the EMA Lander which will be aboard the MBR Explorer, and will be deployed to study the 7th asteroid Justitia, as part of the Emirates Mission to the Asteroid Belt (EMA). Under this agreement, TII will lead the design, development, and testing phases of the lander, as well as providing opportunities for startups’ participation in the development of the project, in line with the mission’s commitment of allocating 50% of the project to UAE-based companies, as it aims to create substantial economic opportunities, spur Emirati startups, and attract international partnerships.
In July, the UAE celebrated the fifth anniversary of the Hope Probe-the first Arab and Islamic interplanetary mission to explore Mars-launched on July 20, 2020, from Japan’s Tanegashima Space Centre. The probe continues to operate successfully, providing unprecedented scientific data on the Martian atmosphere, shared with research centers, universities, and scientific institutions worldwide.