The UAE and NASA have signed a landmark deal, which will not only result in the creation of the first-ever space station orbiting the moon but will also help Emirati astronauts join the moon missions.
UAE President HH Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Vice President HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. Photo: Wam
The project is titled Lunar Gateway and sees participation from Japan, Canada, and the European Union. By the end of the decade, the UAE’s contribution will have the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre supply the mission with the airlock, an airtight room crucial to exiting and entering a space station. While promoting the long-term exploration of the moon under NASA’s Artemis project, Lunar Gateway will also uplift the UAE‘s efforts to send the first Emirati astronaut to the moon’s orbit, furthering the country’s position in the global space race. The Lunar Gateway‘s first elements are expected to be launched by 2025, and the Emirates Airlock is scheduled to be launched by 2030.
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UAE President and UAE Vice Chairman on NASA’s Lunar Gateway
During the project’s announcement at Qasr Al Watan in Abu Dhabi, UAE President HH Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan said, “The UAE’s participation in this international project reflects our commitment to promoting partnerships with the world that contribute to the advancement of knowledge and progress for humanity.” HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, also stated: “A significant mission awaits us in this project that represents a groundbreaking initiative for humanity’s return to the Moon, landing on its surface and establishing it as a base for future missions toward Mars. The Emirati team alongside other international teams, are capable of accomplishing this mission, and we will support them by providing all the necessary resources.”
The UAE and NASA have previously collaborated on a human spaceflight in 2019, during which Hazzaa Al Mansoori became the first Emirati to board the International Space Station. The UAE also currently has two additional astronaut candidates in training at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.
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