The Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) and Airbus, the European aerospace company, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to join the Emirates Lunar Mission (ELM).
The MoU was signed by Mr. Salem AlMarri, Deputy Director-General, MBRSC, and Mr. Andreas Lindenthal, Head of Business Operations & Products, Airbus Space Systems, on the sidelines of the International Astronautical Congress, the world’s premier space event, being held at the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC).
The MoU further details scopes of work including exploring the realization of an end-to-end In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) demonstration, building on key capabilities from each other for lunar surface operations, including mobility, robotics and regolith processing.
Yousuf Hamad Al Shaibani Director-General MBRSC
“We are pleased to collaborate with Airbus Defense and Space for the Emirates Lunar Mission. The agreement today underlines the common will of both MBRSC and Airbus to advance our cooperation and join forces in our effort to learn more about the lunar surface. We look forward to continued collaboration on projects in space, and space resources utilization in the future.”
Mr. Jean-Marc Nasr, Head of Space Systems at Airbus, said, “The UAE has made great strides in the field of space with a successful mission to Mars through the Hope Probe, as well as sending the first Emirati astronaut to the International Space Station.”
The UAE is establishing a global example and serving as an inspiration to youth not only in the UAE but around the world. Signing this MoU with MBRSC is a key step in expanding Airbus’ contribution to helping the government realize its goal of being a well-recognized and leading country in the field of space exploration as the country embarks on its next ambitious space initiatives, Mr. Nasr added.
