The United Arab Emirates is setting its sights on a historic milestone: placing an Emirati astronaut on the lunar surface within the next ten years. During the Forbes Building the Future Summit in Abu Dhabi, Salem Humaid AlMarri, Director-General of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC), emphasized that the nation’s contribution to the US-led Artemis programme is about more than just a single mission. The goal is to help build the necessary infrastructure—including power systems, advanced communication networks, and robotic support—to foster a long-term human presence in space. By collaborating with international partners, the UAE is positioning itself as a vital player in the effort to make sustainable life on another celestial body a reality.

Beyond its lunar aspirations, the UAE is aggressively cultivating a robust domestic space economy and manufacturing ecosystem. AlMarri pointed to the recent success of the MBZ-SAT satellite, noting that 90 percent of its components were produced locally, as evidence of the country's growing technical independence. Even after the disappointment of the Rashid Rover’s crash last year, the MBRSC remains undeterred, with plans to launch two successor missions featuring enhanced artificial intelligence capabilities in the coming months. While AlMarri is a strong proponent of using AI to accelerate engineering processes, he remains committed to ensuring that the UAE maintains its core technical expertise, balancing rapid innovation with the essential skills required for the future of space exploration.