Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre opens registration for 22nd IAA Humans in Space Symposium

It will showcase the first UAE experience in human space flights field

Dubai, United Arab Emirates - May 16, 2019:   Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) announced opening early registration for the 22nd session of the International Academy of Astronautics (IAA) Humans in Space Symposium, hosted in Dubai for the first time in the Middle East and North Africa.

The event will be held from 11 to 14 November 2019 at the Dubai World Trade Centre, and will bring together experts from around the world in the space industry, especially from the Arab world. Those wishing to attend can apply on www.his2019.com

His Excellency, Yousuf Hamad AlShaibani, Director General of MBRSC, said, “MBRSC continues its consistent approach and sustainable efforts to make the UAE a leading hub for space science and research in the region. By hosting the 22nd session of IAA’s Human Space Symposium, we hope to share MBRSC’s expertise in human spaceflight, considering that, by then, the first Emirati astronaut would have completed his mission to the International Space Station (ISS), as part of the UAE Astronaut Programme”.

This year's session focuses on multidisciplinary studies of humans in space and will gather industry prominent organsiations to develop collaborations through the exchange of research results and ideas in the field of space life sciences. The event will highlight the UAE experience in human space flights as it is held after the first Emirati Arab astronaut is back from the ISS and has completed his mission scheduled on the 25th September 2019. 

The event will also discuss various topics such as the challenges of future space flights, biology and biotechnology in space, Mars exploration, and commercial and tourism space trips.   

AlShaibani highlighted that international space conferences that MBRSC is keen to host in the UAE directly contribute to the development of the national space sector through the transfer of knowledge and exchange of best experiences.

Salem AlMarri, Assistant Director General for Science and Technology Sector at MBRSC and IAA Corresponding Member, said, “The event will be an important step towards boosting the UAE's global presence in the field of human space flights. During the event, we will shed light on the first Emirati astronaut’s trip to ISS on 25 September, 2019, and review and evaluate the UAE’s first experience in space exploration”.

The UAE was chosen as the host of the 22nd IAA Humans in Space Symposium due to MBRSC’s proposal submission to the IAA. The proposal was discussed at a meeting by the IAA Board of Trustees, headed by Peter Jankowitsch, President of the IAA, on the sidelines of the United Nations Conference on the Exploration and Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (UNISPACE), in Vienna, Austria, between 18 and 21 June 2018.

IAA, which is based in Paris, France, is an independent non-governmental organisation recognised by the United Nations in 1996. Through its distinguished international programmes and conferences, the IAA aspires to promote the development of space navigation for peaceful purposes and to honour individuals who have distinguished themselves in space science and technology. In addition, IAA aims to offer programmes for members to contribute to international space endeavours, to enhance international cooperation in the development of space science and technology.

The UAE Astronaut Programme is funded by the ICT fund of the TRA. Launched in 2007, this fund, which is the first of its kind in the Arab world, aims towards supporting research and development within the ICT sector in the UAE, helping it to grow into a nationally significant industry with a leading place in the world.