Today's Edition
SARA ALZAABI (ABU DHABI)
Under the patronage of His Highness President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the second edition of the Abu Dhabi Space Debate (ADSD) is running till December 11, bringing together over 1,000 global leaders, policymakers, and experts.
Titled "From Earth to Orbit: A Space for Action and Accountability", the event addresses key challenges in the space sector, including sustainability, security and accessibility.
With the growing threat of space debris and overcrowding in Earth's orbit, ADSD is pushing for action, shifting from dialogue to action and fostering global cooperation to safeguard space for future generations.
The event explores how space technology can enhance security, tackle the problem of debris, and drive collaboration, while also updating regulations and ensuring sustainability.
During the opening ceremony, Dr. Ahmad Belhoul Al Falasi, UAE Minister of Sports and the Chairman of Directors of the UAE Space Agency, highlighted the growing importance of space exploration as a global endeavour.
He said that it has evolved beyond a purely scientific pursuit and has become "a global conversation that demands collaboration, innovation and action".
He continued: "We have come to understand that the achievements we achieve in space translate directly into tangible benefits here on Earth, enhancing lives, fuelling innovation and creating opportunities that ripple across industries and touch every part of society.
"It calls for governments, leaders and policy makers to come together, set clear priorities and take collective action and turn shared goals into reality."
Building on the success of the 2022 edition of the event which brought sector roleplayers together to advance humanity's well-being, Dr. Al Falasi said the ADSD is a platform designed to challenge the status quo, spark critical thinking, and tackle pressing space issues.
"This is our chance not to just share ideas, but to pool all our efforts and turn ambition into real and measurable progress," he said in a call to action.
Speaking to Aletihad on the sidelines of the event, Brian Cox, CERN physicist and professor of particle physics at the University of Manchester highlighted the vital connection between space and daily life.
He remarked: "Many view space as separate from Earth, but it is all one economy. We already depend on space infrastructure -like communications, GPS and Earth observation - for everything from climate understanding to weather forecasting, with global timing essential for systems like finance.
"It is urgent that as we expand our economy outwards into more and more into near-Earth space but also to the moon and then to Mars and the asteroids and beyond, that we have global agreements on how to do that."
He compared space agreements to global systems like air traffic control, which depend on cooperation and standardisation.
"Out in space, in the asteroids for example, there are more resources than we could possibly imagine, almost more resources than we could possibly want when we built the infrastructure to access them," Cox added.
He praised the UAE's leadership in facilitating global space discussions and building trustworthy frameworks as a neutral broker.
"Perhaps the value of this challenge is that it has to be solved globally. How do we begin to bring all nations together and build trusted frameworks so we can all benefit from space," he asked.
Aletihad also spoke to Ali Al Shehhi, Director at the UAE National Space Science and Technology Centre (NSSTC), who stressed the importance of collaboration and engagement in the field of space exploration.
Al Shehhi said the UAE is not only focused on scientific research but also on the humanitarian and sustainability aspects of space, as well as nurturing future leaders in space exploration.
"Space is politics and space is economy. For us to consider it as an economic component in the country, this is a directive, this is not a choice," he added.
He highlighted the importance of fostering innovation, noting UAE's efforts like the upcoming "Al Ain Sat" satellite launch in January:
"Al Ain Sat is made by a student, made by the faculty, made by an engagement with three other countries."
He stressed that the UAE will continue its collaborative model driven by space innovations.
"Without the space support and the space technologies to do that is impossible."
