Creating that sector in the UAE, building local scientific capabilities and supporting a knowledge-based economy in the country is a significant objective of the mission.

“To have continuous growth, we need to have an established science and technology sector within the UAE,” Mr Sharaf said. “The Government identified this gap in the science and technology sector through establishing the UAE Space Agency and the centre which will help support that.”

The goal will also be to restore the Arab region as a major knowledge centre, as it once was in the past.

Emirati students will attend US universities’ space programmes | The National