A business boom is helping the UAE take significant strides in the global space race, with private companies at the heart of progress in a flourishing sector worth billions of dirhams to the economy.
Sarah Bamatraf, a space policies and legislation specialist at the UAE Space Agency, said a concerted private sector push is proving crucial to growth.
She spoke to The National on Wednesday at the launch event of the 2025 Space Economic Survey, which will measure space activities from 2024 across the nation. The latest figures show that the sector is worth more than Dh22 billion ($5.9 billion).
“We now have more than 170 companies targeted in this year’s space economic survey, and every year we have seen an increase in that number,” she told The National.
“In Abu Dhabi, for example, there are more than 80 entities and in Dubai we have more than 40 that specialise in space and also companies that benefit from the sector.”
The survey, first launched in 2022, collects data on revenue, expenditure, workforce demographics and research spending.
It helps officials track how government and commercial enterprises are contributing to the space economy.
Abu Dhabi’s Space42, a space technology company that trades on the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX), is one of the UAE’s most prominent organisations, developing communication and Earth observation satellites, as well as advanced AI mapping tools.
Smaller companies are also playing a role, with some that helped with the country’s landmark Hope probe Mars mission. The private sector is helping develop parts for the UAE’s asteroid belt mission, scheduled for launch in 2028.
Private sector boost
Salem Al Qubaisi, director general of the UAE Space Agency, told The National that the latest indicators suggested the sector was flourishing.
When asked what stood out from the previous 2023 survey, he said the private sector.
“What we can see is that there is positive growth in the sector, especially economically,” he said. “Hopefully we’ll see more companies venturing in the upstream. Most of the companies are in the downstream of the value chain.”
Most companies today focus on downstream services such as Earth observation data, satellite communications and analytics.
But the government is pushing for organisations to take on upstream activities, such as satellite manufacturing and mission hardware.
Building an ecosystem
The agency has introduced initiatives such as the Space Economic Zones programme, which is designed to attract and incentivise the private sector, to accelerate this shift.
“We’ve also been organising workshops for these companies and asked for their perspectives,” said Ms Bamatraf. “Two months ago, there was one that focused on the entire space ecosystem. We take these insights into consideration and turn them into policies and initiatives to support the growth of the private sector.”
These measures are part of a global shift that Nasa helped to lead, in which it would rely heavily on awarding contracts to commercial companies for missions and services rather than carrying them out entirely in-house.
This helps space agencies reduce costs and speed up innovation.
Statistics show momentum
The 2021 survey, released in 2023, revealed that total spending in the UAE space sector rose by 6.6 per cent year-on-year.
Commercial spending accounted for 44 per cent of the total, while government contributed the rest.
Spending on research and development increased by nearly 15 per cent, with the bulk directed at exploration activities. The findings for 2023 are expected to be released in November.
10 tips for entry-level job seekers
- Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
- Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
- Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
- Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
- Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
- Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
- Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
- Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
- Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.
Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz
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Porsche Macan T: The Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 265hp from 5,000-6,500rpm
Torque: 400Nm from 1,800-4,500rpm
Transmission: 7-speed dual-clutch auto
Speed: 0-100kph in 6.2sec
Top speed: 232kph
Fuel consumption: 10.7L/100km
On sale: May or June
Price: From Dh259,900
Evacuations to France hit by controversy
- Over 500 Gazans have been evacuated to France since November 2023
- Evacuations were paused after a student already in France posted anti-Semitic content and was subsequently expelled to Qatar
- The Foreign Ministry launched a review to determine how authorities failed to detect the posts before her entry
- Artists and researchers fall under a programme called Pause that began in 2017
- It has benefited more than 700 people from 44 countries, including Syria, Turkey, Iran, and Sudan
- Since the start of the Gaza war, it has also included 45 Gazan beneficiaries
- Unlike students, they are allowed to bring their families to France
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Know your camel milk:
Flavour: Similar to goat’s milk, although less pungent. Vaguely sweet with a subtle, salty aftertaste.
Texture: Smooth and creamy, with a slightly thinner consistency than cow’s milk.
Use it: In your morning coffee, to add flavour to homemade ice cream and milk-heavy desserts, smoothies, spiced camel-milk hot chocolate.
Goes well with: chocolate and caramel, saffron, cardamom and cloves. Also works well with honey and dates.
How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?
- Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
- Kings School Al Barsha (Dubai) – Dh71,905
- Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
- Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
- Gems Wellington International School – Dubai Branch – Dh58,488
- The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
- Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269
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Publisher: EA Sports
Consoles: PC, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox Series X/S
Rating: 3/5
TOURNAMENT INFO
Fixtures
Sunday January 5 - Oman v UAE
Monday January 6 - UAE v Namibia
Wednesday January 8 - Oman v Namibia
Thursday January 9 - Oman v UAE
Saturday January 11 - UAE v Namibia
Sunday January 12 – Oman v Namibia
UAE squad
Ahmed Raza (captain), Rohan Mustafa, Mohammed Usman, CP Rizwan, Waheed Ahmed, Zawar Farid, Darius D’Silva, Karthik Meiyappan, Jonathan Figy, Vriitya Aravind, Zahoor Khan, Junaid Siddique, Basil Hameed, Chirag Suri
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Director: Todd Phillips
Rating: 2/5
