The UAE has been taking giant steps in space exploration. The first Arab mission to the moon is yet another worthy addition in that direction (“UAE plans first Arab mission to moon with national competencies by 2024,” Sept 26, Gulf Today).

The nation’s ambitious strategy in the space sector will surely boost its position in the club of pioneering countries in space exploration and lead to the development of international cooperation in that sector.

The strategy which is multi-faceted includes the UAE National Space Programme and covers the five basic components of the Emirates Mars Exploration Project ‘’Hope Probe’’ 2117 Strategy, the UAE Astronaut Programme; the Satellite Development Programme, and the UAE Space Sector Sustainability Programme. That indeed is a wide spectrum, and should place the country in good stead in space advancement in the years to come.

Another laurel which makes the country proud is the recent launch of the “MeznSat” satellite, from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome in Russia on a Soyuz-2 rocket,.

That it is the first educational cubic satellite manufactured in cooperation between Khalifa University and the American University in Ras Al Khaimah (AURAK), under the supervision of the UAE Space Agency, talks volumes of UAE’s forward thinking and innovative mindset.

The leaders and the scientific community deserve praise for their efforts. It’s only a matter of time before UAE reaches even greater heights in the skies.

S Moidu — By email