The UAE is set to officially launch its space agency besides introducing a number of initiatives and programs to help the nation become a key player in space science exploration.

The UAE Space Agency launch will be held a day ahead of the 5th Global Space & Satellite Forum (GSSF) which opens on Tuesday (May 26) in Abu Dhabi.

The forum provides a major opportunity for global experts to meet regional leaders and discuss satellite projects underway across the Middle East, Africa and South Asia region.

To be held under the patronage of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, this year's event will include a focus on the agency’s mission, values and priorities for the future, said a statement from the UAE Space Agency.

The GSSF will outline the importance of investment in space education and how it can support the growth of the industry and national security.

It will examine the complete journey that emerging and developed space regions need to take from research through to development and modern applications. The forum is officially endorsed and hosted by the UAE Space Agency.

The forum will showcase the aims of the strategy and plan, which are to strengthen the foundations of the space sector and work towards creating a developed and integrated industry.

According to experts, the GSSF 2015 will flag the growing investments being made in the space industry.

With an investment exceeding $5.44 billion in commercial and scientific space projects the UAE is steadily progressing towards becoming a truly international player within the space sector, they added.

The Agency will also launch a space museum at the forum, which will aim at enhancing knowledge and understanding of the UAE Space industry.

As part of GSSF, the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) will run a competition to conduct scientific research and comprehensive study in designing and implementing state-of-the-art applications for the use of Earth Observation images acquired by DubaiSat-2.

The competition aims at promoting the utilisation of the DubaiSat-2 mission data. Its products are expected for a wide range of disciplines spanning from land use and land cover, topography and geology and others.

The competition is open to participants individually or in a group (of maximum five members) across UAE research institutions and universities.

The investment in space technologies is being shared among several companies and space programmes including Satellite Communications Companies Yahsat, Thuraya and the Emirates Institution for Advanced Science and Technology (EIAST) who lead the DubaiSAT 1 and 2 programmes.-TradeArabia News Service