The programme is designed to deepen international collaboration between research institutions, academic entities, and global companies.
Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defence and Chairman of the Supreme Space Council, has approved a Dhs1bn ($272m) international space cooperation programme aimed at accelerating foreign partnerships in space research and development and strengthening the UAE’s position in the global space economy.
The initiative was announced during a meeting of Dubai’s Supreme Space Council, which Sheikh Hamdan chairs in his capacity as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence.
Programme to build collaboration
The programme is designed to deepen international collaboration between research institutions, academic entities, and global companies, with a focus on advancing technology development, expanding knowledge transfer, and converting research outputs into commercially viable space applications.
Sheikh Hamdan said the UAE’s space sector is a strategic pillar of its knowledge-based economy and that the new programme would help localise advanced technologies, develop national talent, and strengthen links between Emirati and international research centres.
He also said the initiative aligns with the National Space Strategy 2031, which targets doubling the returns of the space economy, increasing its contribution to GDP by 60 per cent, and expanding national capabilities in space research, development, and manufacturing.
Driving the global space economy
The meeting highlighted continued growth in the global space economy, valued at around $613bn in 2024 and projected to reach nearly $780bn by 2033, underscoring opportunities for the UAE to expand its footprint in future space markets.
The council also reviewed updates from the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre on the UAE’s participation in the Artemis programme, which focuses on advancing infrastructure to support sustained human presence on the Moon.
At the meeting, Dr Hamdullah Mohib, chief executive of Orbitworks, outlined plans for a sovereign UAE satellite constellation built and operated domestically, aimed at developing AI-enabled space intelligence capabilities and positioning the country in the global space intelligence market.