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Dr Al Romaithi (second from left) at the conference

UAE agency plans space education programme

ABU DHABI, May 18, 2016

The UAE Space Agency is focussed on establishing specialist space education programmes by partnering with universities and institutions, both in the UAE and abroad, said Dr Khalifa Mohammed Al Romaithi, chairman of the UAE Space Agency.

Providing a qualified and specialised workforce in the space sector is the most significant challenge for states developing a new space programmes, Dr Al Romaithi said during a panel discussion at the 14th International Conference on Space Operations. The event is taking place at the Daejeon Convention Centre in South Korea until May 20.

He said the agency's education programmes will ensure the development of the human capital necessary for growing and sustaining the national space sector, and to build an economy based on knowledge rather than resources.

During his speech, Al Romaithi stressed the important role played by international partnerships in contributing to the development of skills and technical abilities within the space sector and related industries. He stressed the agency’s interest in receiving suggestions on developing capabilities, human capital and financial efficiency of space operations.

Al Romaithi also clarified the agency’s role in supervising and funding the “Mars Hope” project that will explore Mars — the first time an interplanetary probe will be launched by an Arab nation.

The Space Agency is forming global partnerships that will secure the latest technology for the project, as well as supporting and qualifying Emirati engineers that work on completing and launching the probe in 2020, he said.

The panel went on to discuss the future direction of emerging national space agencies, addressing strategies for developing new space exploration programs. Panellists spoke about the workability and rationale behind such programs, the challenges they face, and the role of space operations.

Participating in the discussions were representatives from the South African National Space Agency and of Nasa’s planetary network management team. - TradeArabia News Service




Tags: UAE | agency | education | Space |

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