Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai, on Sunday visited the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre where he was shown the designs for the UAE's first moon rover.
Sheikh Hamdan said the UAE was strengthening its global standing by launching exceptional space projects to create a brighter future for the region and its people.
He reviewed the centre's 10-year strategy and was briefed on the progress of the Emirates Lunar Mission project, the first Emirati and Arab mission to explore the Moon.
Emirati engineers plan to develop and launch the rover, named Rashid, in 2024.
It will make the UAE the fourth country to gain new information about the Moon and explore new areas on the lunar surface.
"The explorer Rashid is the first Arab spacecraft to be launched to the Moon in 2024 to discover sites that no space flights have previously reached," Sheikh Hamdan said.
"The Emirates Moon Exploration Project is a new achievement in our scientific journey, which we achieve with Emirati minds and efforts, and its results will be in the service of humanity."
The team gave Sheikh Hamdan an overview of previous missions conducted in the lead-up to the current phase of the Moon project.
They demonstrated how the Emirati lunar rover will perform key tasks when it lands on the surface of the Moon.
Hamad Al Mansouri, chairman of the centre, said these space projects would help to show the UAE as a valuable global partner for innovative scientific projects.
"[Sheikh Hamdan's visit] serves as a strong incentive and motivation for the centre and private entities in the UAE to launch new, high-quality projects in the fields of technology, robotics and aerospace technology," Mr Al Mansouri said.
The lunar rover will make significant contributions to global efforts to explore the Moon's surface.
It will provide data to Nasa's Lunar Gateway project, which will see the establishment of a human base on the Moon to make deep space missions possible, particularly sending astronauts to Mars.
It is also a step towards the UAE's Mars ambitions, with the the Mars 2117 Programme, which aims to build the first human settlement on the Red Planet.
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What is 'Soft Power'?
Soft power was first mentioned in 1990 by former US Defence Secretary Joseph Nye.
He believed that there were alternative ways of cultivating support from other countries, instead of achieving goals using military strength.
Soft power is, at its root, the ability to convince other states to do what you want without force.
This is traditionally achieved by proving that you share morals and values.
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Whether you trek after mountain gorillas in Rwanda, Uganda or the Congo, the most convenient international airport is in Rwanda’s capital city, Kigali. There are direct flights from Dubai a couple of days a week with RwandAir. Otherwise, an indirect route is available via Nairobi with Kenya Airways. Flydubai flies to Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo, via Entebbe in Uganda. Expect to pay from US$350 (Dh1,286) return, including taxes.
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What's in the deal?
Agreement aims to boost trade by £25.5bn a year in the long run, compared with a total of £42.6bn in 2024
India will slash levies on medical devices, machinery, cosmetics, soft drinks and lamb.
India will also cut automotive tariffs to 10% under a quota from over 100% currently.
Indian employees in the UK will receive three years exemption from social security payments
India expects 99% of exports to benefit from zero duty, raising opportunities for textiles, marine products, footwear and jewellery
