An official revealed that 14 companies have been attracted to an economic zone aimed at boosting the UAE’s space sector. These space startups offer essential services, such as satellite-based wildlife tracking and addressing data center security challenges.
The UAE Space Agency is placing significant emphasis on developing a private sector to contribute to the national economy. Ahmed Al Drei, a specialist at the agency, stated that 10 of the 14 companies in the economic zone are owned by Emirati nationals. These companies operate in different sectors, including launch services, satellite manufacturing, data reception, and data analysis for urban planning and environmental causes.
One of the Emirati-owned companies operating in Masdar City’s economic zone is Madari Space, founded by Shareef Al Romaithi, who aims to launch data centers into space to reduce carbon emissions on Earth. By leveraging solar power in space, the company seeks to provide secure platforms for governments to store critical data.
Marshall Intech, another company in the economic zone, uses its satellite to track wildlife and support army pilots’ location tracking. The UAE’s first wildlife tracking satellite, called Ghalib, was launched in 2021 to study migration patterns.
The UAE Space Agency plans to establish more economic zones to attract companies that could compete for government and company contracts, benefitting the national economy. This move aligns with global efforts to establish a private sector in the space industry.
Overall, the dedicated economic zone is proving to be instrumental in fostering the growth of the UAE’s space sector by attracting and nurturing innovative space startups. This has the potential to position the country as a major space power in the region.
14 companies have been attracted to UAE’s economic space zone since its launch.
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