A record-breaking Nasa astronaut has praised the UAE’s “commitment” to space exploration.
Speaking on a visit to Abu Dhabi, Michael Lopez-Alegria, 60, said the country’s pace of development in the sector was impressive.
Since its establishment in 2014, the Emirates space programme has continued to expand significantly.
Central to its aims is the Emirates Mars Mission, which hopes to place a probe named Amal (Hope) into orbit around the Red Planet by 2021.
“It is remarkable how much progress has been made (in the UAE),” Mr Lopez-Alegria said.
“The view from the outside of the UAE is that it is almost the biggest player on the stage now because it’s making so much effort and showing so much interest.
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“It’s pretty clear that there is a lot of commitment on the part of the government to get involved in space.
“It’s unlike any that I have ever seen in terms of the pace and the steepness of the curve. It is noteworthy for sure.”
Mr Lopez-Alegria, a Spanish-American astronaut who has logged more than 257 days in space, is in the country to speak at an event to encourage young Emirati students to consider a career in the sector.
He described the “breathtaking” views he had witnessed during some of his missions and spoke of the increased sense of humanity becoming an astronaut had given him.
“Those of us who had that experience (in space) have a bit of a different perspective of life than we did before we left,” he said.
“It’s more about protecting the planet and being more tolerant and more patient and understanding; less prone to getting involved with conflict.
“Because we are all crew members on the same spacecraft, which is planet Earth, and we want to have a good life.”
Mr Lopez-Alegria is a veteran of three Space Shuttle missions and one International Space Station mission.
He began his career as an astronaut in 1992, inspired by Neil Armstrong “and others that walked the moon” when he was just 11-years-old.
Today, he holds the Nasa record for the longest cumulative amount of time spent on space walks – a staggering 67 hours.
Recalling one mission over the Caribbean Sea, he said he looked down “and the colours were just breathtaking”.
“For some reason I have a snap of this moment in my head and it was pretty spectacular,” he said.
Addressing the students at Khalifa University on Sunday, Mr Lopez-Alegria said the UAE’s space programme would not just generate headlines, but also impact on the nation’s economy.
Single space flights often failed to catch long-term interest, he said, but a sustainable programme backed by the proper financial investment could have real impact.
“This is not just a one-time thing; this is a way to help diversify the economy,” he said. “I think it will stick around for a long time.”
MATCH DETAILS
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What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
Also on December 7 to 9, the third edition of the Gulf Car Festival (www.gulfcarfestival.com) will take over Dubai Festival City Mall, a new venue for the event. Last year's festival brought together about 900 cars worth more than Dh300 million from across the Emirates and wider Gulf region – and that first figure is set to swell by several hundred this time around, with between 1,000 and 1,200 cars expected. The first day is themed around American muscle; the second centres on supercars, exotics, European cars and classics; and the final day will major in JDM (Japanese domestic market) cars, tuned vehicles and trucks. Individuals and car clubs can register their vehicles, although the festival isn’t all static displays, with stunt drifting, a rev battle, car pulls and a burnout competition.
Cricket World Cup League 2 Fixtures
Saturday March 5, UAE v Oman, ICC Academy (all matches start at 9.30am)
Sunday March 6, Oman v Namibia, ICC Academy
Tuesday March 8, UAE v Namibia, ICC Academy
Wednesday March 9, UAE v Oman, ICC Academy
Friday March 11, Oman v Namibia, Sharjah Cricket Stadium
Saturday March 12, UAE v Namibia, Sharjah Cricket Stadium
UAE squad
Ahmed Raza (captain), Chirag Suri, Muhammad Waseem, CP Rizwan, Vriitya Aravind, Asif Khan, Basil Hameed, Rohan Mustafa, Kashif Daud, Zahoor Khan, Junaid Siddique, Karthik Meiyappan, Akif Raja, Rahul Bhatia
