New UAE-France pacts cover lunar exploration, human space missions

New UAE-France pacts cover lunar exploration, human space missions

Dubai: Three agreements were signed on Tuesday between the UAE’s Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) and France’s National Center for Space Studies (CNES) during the state visit of UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to France. One of the three agreements was a memorandum of understanding (MoU), seeking to strengthen cooperation between UAE and France in the field of lunar exploration. There were also two letters of intents, seeking to establish a joint working group to oversee new Earth observation missions, and another one outlining prospects for future collaboration on manned space missions and conducting new experiments aboard the International Space Station (ISS). The agreements were signed by Salem Humaid AlMarri, the MBRSC director-general, and Philippe Baptiste, the CEO of CNES. The signing was held in the presence of Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, and Catherine Colonna, the French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs. AlMarri said: “The strategic importance of the agreements lies in the fact that they include a wide range of space mission aspects, which will enable us to achieve various goals. Cooperation in the field of lunar exploration and human space missions