The Emirates Institution for Advanced Science & Technology (EIAST) is still conducting feasibility studies and site surveys to determine the best location for the “Emirates Telescope,” project, the first national astronomical telescope for the UAE.

Discussions with concerned bodies in the UAE emirates are ongoing to select a suitable site that will fulfill the requirements, said Ahmed Obaid Al Mansoori, director general of EIAST. These studies are expected to continue for a year before the final location is decided.

Al Mansouri thanked various organisations for their contribution to the field tours and research and lauded their co-operation with the research team who are examining topographic, climatic and weather aspects in preparation for starting the scientific and technical studies on the proposed locations for the “Emirates Telescope” project.

“The Emirates Telescope initiative is being undertaken in co-operation with the UAE Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) and comes in line with EIAST commitment to promote the culture of advanced scientific research and technology innovation in the UAE and encourage national human resources to actively engage in advanced scientific fields,” he noted.

According to Al Mansoori, the telescope project involves several stages including the current feasibility study, which addresses the determination of a suitable location and technology, and the uses and applications for the telescope.

He also said that there are several other projects to be implemented in the coming stages in line with the directions of UAE’s leadership to introduce innovative and inventive projects to achieve sustainable development at all levels.

Al Mansoori said it was committed to make EIAST an international icon and a leading national model in the field of advanced sciences, innovation and invention.

'EIAST promotes the culture of advanced scientific research and technology innovation through the use of highly sophisticated technologies and accurate spatial information and thus meet the requirements of the fast industrial and economic growth of Dubai and the UAE,' he added.-TradeArabia News Service