The United Arab Emirates’ interest in astronomy and space sciences dates back to the 1970’s, when His Highness Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan met with the NASA team responsible for the Apollo moon landing. This encounter sparked a national focus on space that began almost three decades ago, eventually leading to the birth of a national space sector with the establishment of Thuraya Communications Company in 1997 and Al Yah Satellite Communications company (Yahsat) in 2007.
In February 2006, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, launched the Emirates Institution for Advanced Science and Technology, which aims to promote the science of space and scientific research in the United Arab Emirates. In April 2015 it was merged with the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre.
The UAE Space Agency was established by federal decree in 2014, with the aim of developing the national space sector. The agency is responsible for establishing partnerships, assisting academic programs, advancing national and regional space exploration, and investing in research, development and commercial space projects.