Dubai: His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, on Monday attended the signing of an agreement to build the first Arab Islamic probe to reach Mars.

The seven-year agreement was signed by Emirates Institute for Advanced Science and Technology (EIAST) and UAE Space Agency at the Mohammad Bin Rashid Centre for Government Innovation. Shaikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, and Lieutenant General Shaikh Saif Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, were present.

Under the agreement, the building of the probe will be fully financed and supervised by the UAE Space Agency. Shaikh Mohammad emphasised the implementation of the project under the supervision of a national work team in cooperation with specialised international partners. “We have seven years to build our knowledge, develop our cadres and set up an infrastructure to reach the red planet. The challenges will be great and require an exceptional work team. The UAE leadership will keenly follow up on the project’s progress during the next seven years. Building a Mars probe is a national job, a source of Arab pride and addition to human and scientific knowledge,” said Shaikh Mohammad.

The agreement stipulates the financial and legal framework, as well as the time-frame for beginning the Mars probe project, which will be carried out by a work team of Emirati engineers from EIAST, and under the direct supervision of the UAE Space Agency.

The agreement emphasises the importance of building a national base of research, developing specialised national cadres during the coming years, and the commitment of international partners in conveying all necessary knowledge to the national work team which will, in turn, contribute to building a solid scientific base for developing the UAE space sector.

“We started today a seven-year journey with a national team; through it we will cross hundreds of millions of miles to build globally competitive Emirati individuals. We say to the people of our region join us in building a new history for our Arab nation,” Shaikh Mohammad said on his social media account.

Upon completion, the probe is expected to reach Mars in nine months, an achievement which will make the UAE one of nine nations around the world with a Mars exploration space programme. The probe’s estimated time of arrival on Mars, the year 2021, coincides with the 50th anniversary of the creation of the UAE.

Space is considered a key factor for economic security, used for satellite communications, broadcasting, meteorology and observing natural disasters The UAE’s current national investments in technology-related projects and industry is more than Dh20 billion, which includes Yahsat satellite communications company and Thuraya telecommunications company.

The UAE Space Agency was earlier set up by Shaikh Mohammad for supervising and organising all space activities, developing the sector, ensuring knowledge transfer, enhancing the UAE’s position as a global player in aerospace, and maximising the contribution of space industries to the national economy. The agency will report to the Cabinet and enjoy financial and administrative independence.

The UAE’s purpose is to build Emirati technical and intellectual capabilities in the fields of aerospace and space exploration and to enter the space industry and to make use of space technology in a way that enhances the country’s development plans.