UAE University and China are planning to establish a space technology centre in Abu Dhabi to provide Emirati students with the opportunity to develop skills in satellite and space telescope production. On March 7th, a letter of intent was signed in Abu Dhabi between the National Space Science and Technology Centre at UAE University, the Laboratory for Space Research at Hong Kong University, and Origin Space, a private Chinese company.
This move is aimed at building a long-term relationship between the universities in terms of scientific mentorship, academic exchanges, hosting and exchange of students, internships and scientific input to mission concepts, and facilitation of cooperation with strategic partners.
Although the letter of intent is not yet legally binding, once approved, the three parties will sign an agreement that will signal the beginning of the construction phase. The letter was signed at the Chinese Industrial Products Exhibition, which was held at the China-UAE Industrial Capacity Co-operation Demonstration Zone on the outskirts of Abu Dhabi.
This zone is a vast co-operation project between Abu Dhabi and China, and it will serve the Belt and Road Initiative, which is a massive trade route, as well as the Abu Dhabi Economic Vision 2030.
China is rapidly emerging as a global space power with a thriving sector that includes human flights to its new space station, planetary, lunar and deep-space exploration, a satellite navigation system, and continued development of its space transport system.
China has already completed 207 missions, including 183 by the Long March carrier rocket series, from 2016 to December 2021. The country has also landed a spacecraft on the Moon and Mars. Additionally, it is gradually opening up international access to its space programme by inviting foreign astronauts to its Tiangong space station and hosting foreign payloads on future Moon missions.
On the other hand, the UAE was supposed to be launching its next Moon rover on China’s Chang’e-7 landing mission to the lunar south pole in 2026, but it is unclear if that is going ahead.
Meanwhile, plans for the International Lunar Research Station are under way, which is an enormous complex on the Moon set up by China and Russia. The proposal involves sending several Chinese and Russian missions to the Moon over a 15-year period up to 2036. International partners would be required to make the project more cost-effective and boost the speed of research.
The National Space Science and Technology Centre at UAE University was opened in 2021, offering students, engineers, and researchers access to a high-tech space plant. It provides a conducive environment and resources for designing, developing, and testing satellites of up to 250kg. With the establishment of the new space technology centre in Abu Dhabi, the UAE is set to boost its space technology and research capabilities, thereby improving its status as a global space player.
