The Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Center (MBRSC) and the Italian Space Agency announced today that they have signed a memorandum of understanding on lunar exploration and the Emirates Lunar Mission, in the presence of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
The deal was signed by Salem Humaid AlMarri, Director General of MBRSC, and Prof Teodoro Valente, President of the Italian Space Agency.
MBRSC parters with Thales Alenia Space
MBRSC has recently expanded its collaborative efforts with key partners to advance the UAE’s space sector. Earlier this month, the center signed a cooperation agreement with Italian-French Thales Alenia Space.
Under the agreement, Thales Alenia Space became a strategic partner in the country’s role in the Lunar Gateway Space Station project which is paving the way for the first Emirati Arab astronaut to enter the lunar orbit. The Gateway lunar space station is a key component of NASA’s Artemis program and will be the first space station to orbit the Moon.
The UAE will be responsible for operating the Pressure Equalisation Unit of the station for a potentially extendable period of up to 15 years. The unit will weigh 10 tons, with a length of 10 meters and width of 4 meters, while the size of the entire station is 19 x 20 x 42 meters.
This will enable the UAE to have a permanent seat and scientific contributions in the largest lunar and space exploration program. It will also be among the first countries to send an astronaut to the moon during this project, with priority access to advanced scientific and engineering data gathered by the station, enhancing its journey of knowledge.
Read: Partial satellite manufacturing in UAE to begin this year, full production planned for 2026
SpaceData partnership to establish digital twin solutions
MBRSC also signed a memorandum of understanding with SpaceData, a startup based in Tokyo that specializes in research and development aimed at merging the realms of space and digital technology.
This collaboration will establish two essential digital twin solutions. SpaceData will craft a high-fidelity lunar digital twin platform dedicated to space exploration, while also providing a detailed Earth-based digital twin platform to boost economic initiatives.
For the Emirates Lunar Mission, SpaceData will also create a simulation environment that utilizes MBRSC’s rover observation data, enhancing the efficiency and accuracy of forthcoming lunar explorations,
