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National space council coming soon: The cabinet approved yesterday setting up a space council tasked with approving public policies and legislation, strategies, and national programs, to regulate the space sector and related activities, space news agency Wam reports. The new council will report directly to the cabinet.
The Supreme Space Council will also be responsible for defining “national priorities” for the space sector and pinpointing technological requirements to ramp up the UAE’s technological independence in space. It will manage all infrastructure, facilities, and assets in the space sector. It will also focus on regulations around space security, Wam said.
The new council will be chaired by Dubai Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, with the UAE Space Agency providing technical and administrative support as the General Secretariat. Members of the council will also include:
- Industry and Advanced Technology Minister Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber;
- Economy Minister Abdulla Bin Touq Al Marri;
- UAE Space Agency Chairperson Ahmad Belhoul Al Falasi will serve as the council’s Secretary-General;
- AI, Digital Economy, and Remote Work Applications Minister Omar Sultan Al Olama;
- Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre VP Yousuf Hamad Al Shaibani;
- The President’s Advisor for Strategic Research and Advanced Technology Faisal bin Abdulaziz Al Bannai;
- The Defence Ministry’s Assistant Undersecretary for Support and Defence Industries Mubarak bin Ghafan Al Jabri.
The Supreme Space Council will also set priorities for investments and acquisitions for both public and private space entities, bidding to develop plans for capacity building and foster partnerships at local, regional, and international levels.
ICYMI- The UAE has ambitious space and satellite-making plans ahead. Last month, defense conglomerate Edge Group launched a new cybertech firm named Fada. Abu Dhabi-based space and deeptech investor and International Holding Company-backed Marlan and US-based startup Loft Orbital also earlier set up a joint venture to mass manufacture satellites for the first time in the Middle East. Bayanat and Yahsat also plan to launch eight synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellites over the next three years, after launching the UAE’s first low Earth orbit SAR satellite from California’s Vandenberg Space Force Base last month.
