On April 12, thrilling news was announced from the UAE as the National Space Programme was launched and the programme strategy was approved. If that was not exciting enough, training has begun for the
first Emirati astronaut to be sent to the International Space Station.
“Our national space programme is a solid platform to prepare Emirati cadres specialized in aerospace sciences, and qualify future generations that are able to contribute to humanity’s knowledge,” Mohammed bin Rashid said. “We plan to send the first Emirati astronaut to space over the next few years, and starting from today, we are preparing the first Emirati and Arab astronaut to join scientists at the International Space Station.”
These milestone announcements demonstrate that the UAE is absolutely serious about contending in space on a global level. The programme will create a new generation of young engineers and astronauts that will shape the future of the UAE in space.
We are also delighted to tell you that this issue of the
SpaceWatch Middle East newsletter is being sponsored by the
World Space Risk Forum which will take place in London this year. Please refer to
www.spacewatchme.com for further updates on the event in the coming weeks and months.
In the last 30 days, we received
10,000 visitors to our site and we cannot thank you enough for your support. We will endeavour to continue to bring you the news and features on the fascinating industry that is space in the Middle East region - and beyond. We have also added a new feature to our website: the 5 most read articles. We hope that you find this useful.
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SpaceWatch Middle East APP is live and available on
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Finally, there have been some significant developments in
Turkey’s nascent space industry and we have been reporting on them. The country has spent over $1 billion on space programmes, and is now ready to establish itself as a major player in the global space industry, despite the current political instability. With plans afoot for the launch of an indigenous satellite by 2019 and the creation of a national space agency seemingly moving ahead, Turkey is planning to become a self-sufficient space nation that is able to compete on an international level. We hope you enjoy this special focus on Turkey.
Over the past week
SpaceWatch Middle East reported on a number of exciting space & cyber developments throughout the Middle East and North Africa. Among the stories that caught our attention were:
As always, we're on the lookout for contributors to
SpaceWatch Middle East. If you have something to say about space and the Middle East, please contact us at
office@spacewatchme.com .
In the meantime, follow our hashtag #SpaceWatchMe on Twitter, Instagram and our Facebook page, and read our stories, features, and interviews at
www.spacewatchme.com. Amongst the other features and stories we published over the past week are the following:
