Lunch of KhalifaSat a turning point in the history of the UAE

Dubai / WAM

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, on Saturday received the Emirati engineering team who helped design, build, and launch KhalifaSAT into orbit, at Za’abeel Palace, Dubai.
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid and His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed hailed the team’s great scientific achievement as a “source of pride for their leadership, people, families and the Arab nation.”
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed emphasised that the country has ushered in a new era within its ambitious journey to deliver the future. “Today, the UAE is starting a new leaf to scale fresh heights and make great strides in the space sector. Sheikh Mohamed and I have agreed to build national competencies who can continue this path of glory and promote our international position in the space sector in line with our national interests and the scientific objectives humanity seeks to achieve in this area.
“The KhalifaSat team has made this achievement, laid the foundation stone, and paved the way for other Emirati engineers to continue this track record of achievements. We are positive that they will spearhead the country’s developmental march in the space sector to unprecedented international levels.”
“We are working with my brother Mohamed bin Zayed to make the UAE the capital of space sciences, a global hub for scientific research, and a source for the industry expertise in the global space industry,” he added.
HH Sheikh Mohammed pointed out that the UAE has managed to build a successful development model that will allow young people to make strategic achievements in various fields, including the space industry, which will pave the way to restoring the glory of early Arabs in astronomy.
“The UAE is a role model of success and development. We want it to be an Arab and even an international role model in the space science, research and industry fields, as well as an example to be followed by Arab youth and talent to forge ahead towards new horizons in space science, following in the footsteps of their ancestors who were trailblazers in this domain,” he stated.
HH Sheikh Mohamed congratulated the Emirati engineers who supervised the designing and manufacturing of KhalifaSat, on their national and Arab achievement, which, he said, proves their unique potential to compete in various science and space domains.
He expressed his pride of the Emirati national cadres and their ability to contribute to the country’s strategic objectives and achieve its scientific ambitions.
“Thanks to your competence and your ambitions, you have added a new feather to your country’s cap of achievements – a significant milestone that lays a new steppingstone in the national space sector,” Sheikh Mohamed said to the team.
He called on the engineers to double efforts and leave no stone unturned to scale new heights in their march towards excellence and a prosperous future.
“The successful launch of KhalifaSat is a turning-point in the history of the UAE that reflects the country’s confidence to compete globally in the space sector and to contribute effectively to enriching human civilisation,” said HH Sheikh Mohamed.

The engineering team extended their thanks and appreciation to HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid and H.H. Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed for their continuous follow-up and encouragement which, they’ve affirmed, has been a key factor helping them meet the aspirations of the wise leadership and the Emiratis. They pledged to double efforts to achieve more in the field of space science and research so that the UAE would always be a role model for development.
Among those present were H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre; H.H. Sheikh Hazza bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Chairman of Abu Dhabi Executive Council; H.H. Sheikh Nahyan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Charitable and Humanitarian Foundation; H.H. Lt. General Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior; H.H. Sheikh Tahnoun bin Zayed Al Nahyan, National Security Adviser; H.H. Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs; H.H. Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Foundation, and H.H. Sheikh Mansour bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.

The attendees also included Mohammad bin Abdullah Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs and The Future; Dr. Ahmad bin Abdullah Humaid Belhoul Al Falasi, Minister of State for Higher Education and Advanced Skills; Sarah bin Yousef Al Amiri, Minister of State; Mohamed bin Abdullah Al Junaibi, Director of Presidential Protocols at the Ministry of Presidential Affairs; Ali bin Hammad Al Shamsi, Deputy Secretary-General of the Supreme National Security Council; Khalifa Saeed Suleiman, Director-General of the Department of Protocol and Hospitality in Dubai; Major General Talal Humaid Belhoul Al Falasi, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority; Hamad Obaid Al Mansoori, Chairman of the Board of the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre; and Yousuf Hamad Al Shaibani, Director-General of the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre.

Hazza hails VP, Mohamed bin Zayed for receiving KhalifaSat team
Abu Dhabi / WAM

His Highness Sheikh Hazza bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Chairman of Abu Dhabi Executive Council, has hailed His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, for receiving the engineering team that participated in the building and launching of KhalifaSat.
In his remarks on the occasion, Sheikh Hazza emphasised that receiving the team is an amazing embodiment of all meanings of pride and appreciation for the Emirati youth and a great incentive from two inspiring leaders who believe that the path of success begins with an idea and the determination of the youth who are armed with knowledge will lead us to be number one.