UAE leaders laud KhalifaSat engineering and launch team

The satellite is described as a great example of the strides the UAE is making in the space sector

Sheikh Mohamed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, and Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, attend a reception for the KhalifaSat engineering team at Al Zabeel Palace. Seen with them are Sheikh Saif bin Zayed, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, and Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai. Hamad Al Kaabi / Crown Prince Court - Abu Dhabi

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid and Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed speak with the KhalifaSat engineering team. Mohamed Al Hammadi / Crown Prince Court - Abu Dhabi

From left: Sheikh Saif bin Zayed, Sheikh Nahyan bin Zayed, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed; Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid; and Sheikh Hazza bin Zayed attend a reception for the KhalifaSat engineering team. Hamad Al Kaabi / Crown Prince Court - Abu Dhabi

Sheikh Mansour bin Mohammed, Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed and Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed, National Security Advisor, attend a reception for the KhalifaSat engineering team. Hamad Al Kaabi / Crown Prince Court - Abu Dhabi

Sheikh Hamdan, Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed and Mohammed Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs and the Future, attend a reception for the KhalifaSat engineering team. Hamad Al Kaabi / Crown Prince Court - Abu Dhabi

From left: Sheikh Mansour bin Mohammed, Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed, Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed , Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed, Sheikh Saif bin Zayed, and Sheikh Nahyan bin Zayed attend a reception for the KhalifaSat engineering team. Hamad Al Kaabi / Crown Prince Court - Abu Dhabi

From left: Sheikh Hazza bin Zayed, Vice Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed and Sheikh Mohamed bin Rashid receive the KhalifaSat engineering team at Al Zabeel Palace. Hamad Al Kaabi / Crown Prince Court - Abu Dhabi

From left: Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed, Sheikh Saif bin Zayed, Sheikh Nahyan bin Zayed and Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed attend a reception for the KhalifaSat engineering team. Mohammed Al Hammadi / Crown Prince Court - Abu Dhabi

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed and Sheikh Hazza bin Zayed, attend a reception for the KhalifaSat engineering team. Mohamed Al Hammadi / Crown Prince Court - Abu Dhabi

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, and Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, and welcomed the Emirati engineering team who helped design, build, and launch KhalifaSat into orbit, at Zaabeel Palace, Dubai.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid and Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed hailed the team's great scientific achievement as a "source of pride for their leadership, people, families and the Arab nation."

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid said that the country has ushered in a new era within its ambitious journey to deliver the future, reported state news agency Wam.

"Today, the UAE is starting a new leaf to scale fresh heights and make great strides in the space sector. Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed and I have agreed to build national competencies who can continue this path of glory and promote our international position in the space sector in line with our national interests and the scientific objectives humanity seeks to achieve in this area.

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"The KhalifaSat team has made this achievement, laid the foundation stone, and paved the way for other Emirati engineers to continue this track record of achievements. We are positive that they will spearhead the country's developmental march in the space sector to unprecedented international levels.

"We are working with my brother Mohamed bin Zayed to make the UAE the capital of space sciences, a global hub for scientific research, and a source for the industry expertise in the global space industry," he said.

Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed congratulated the Emirati engineers, who supervised the designing and manufacturing of KhalifaSat, on their national and Arab achievement, which he said, proves their unique potential to compete in various science and space domains.

"Thanks to your competence and your ambitions, you have added a new feather to your country's cap of achievements — a significant milestone that lays a new stepping stone in the national space sector," Sheikh Mohamed said to the team.

He called on the engineers to double efforts and leave no stone unturned to scale new heights in their march towards excellence and a prosperous future.

"The successful launch of KhalifaSat is a turning-point in the history of the UAE that reflects the country's confidence to compete globally in the space sector and to contribute effectively to enriching human civilisation."