UAE launches AED 3 billion National Space Fund

The UAE will develop advanced radar satellites to "develop solutions to climate change, environmental sustainability and improved disaster management" under the new AED 3 billion National Space Fund.

President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, unveiled the fund on Sunday.

Taking to Twitter, Sheikh Mohamed the move will "accelerate innovation in environmental sustainability".

The establishment of a dedicated fund to support the UAE’s burgeoning space programme and the launch of a new initiative to develop radar satellites are expected to expand our growing capabilities in this vital sector while accelerating innovation in environmental sustainability.

— محمد بن زايد (@MohamedBinZayed) July 17, 2022

The Fund will support ground breaking new programmes launched to support international and Emirati companies co-operating in leading edge space sector engineering, sciences and research applications.

Sheikh Mohammed added that the "goal is to support the establishment of national companies in the space sector, support new national strategic and research projects, and develop the capabilities of our Emirati engineering cadres in space technology".

"Only with advanced science can we contribute to the march of human development," he added.

كما أطلقت الإمارات اليوم صندوق الفضاء برأس مال ٣ مليار درهم، وهدفه دعم تأسيس شركات وطنية في قطاع الفضاء، ودعم المشاريع الاستراتيجية الوطنية والبحثية الجديدة، وتطوير قدرات كوادرنا الهندسية الإماراتية في تكنولوجيا الفضاء، فقط بالعلوم المتقدمة نستطيع المساهمة في مسيرة التطور البشري

— HH Sheikh Mohammed (@HHShkMohd) July 17, 2022

It makes the UAE the first Arab country to develop a swarm of synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellites.

The ‘Sirb’ project will provide 24-hour all-weather earth imaging and will monitor the changes that occur on the planet due to climate changes and help find innovative solutions for environmental sustainability.

United Arab Emirates to develop and launch advanced radar satellite constellation under new AED3 billion space sector fund pic.twitter.com/5GsbYPApYF

— UAEGOV (@UAEmediaoffice) July 17, 2022

بدعم من رئيس الدولة ومتابعة من نائب رئيس الدولة.. دولة #الإمارات تطلق أول مشروع لتطوير سرب من الأقمار الاصطناعية الرّادارية الحديثة . . وتعلن عن تأسيس صندوق وطني بقيمة 3 مليار درهم لدعم قطاع الفضاء pic.twitter.com/KNMCmb4snD

— UAEGOV (@UAEmediaoffice) July 17, 2022