Khalifa Sat launch in 2017: Mohammed

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, on Sunday launched the executive phases for building the Khalifa Sat, the first satellite to be fully built and manufactured at the hands of 100 per cent UAE competent experts and to be place on orbit by 2017.

Khalifa Sat will be the first Arab-made satellite, catapulting the Arab region into a new era of space industry and competition in space sciences.

While launching the promising project at the Emirates Institution for Advanced Science and Technology (EIAST), Sheikh Mohammed said ''Khalifa Sat is a message to all Arabs that Arab ushering into the space era is neither out of reach  nor impossible and our State will be a leader in this industry as long as we have the confidence and courage to enter into competition with major countries in this field,'' Sheikh Mohammed said, dedicating the new ambitious scientific achievement  to the President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

''Our doors will remain open for cooperation with all Arab countries in space technology and engineering,'' Sheikh Mohammed added.

''We are extremely delighted at seeing sons and daughters of the UAE forming the first Arab team to build a satellite and launch it into outer space in 2017..... Our confidence in them is boundless  and our ambitions are the sky's the limit and success comes from Allah,'' Sheikh Mohammed said.

He affirmed during his visit to EISAST that '' excellence of our youth in space sciences, engineering and energy opens before our State new huge development prospects and new avenues which will have set foot for the first time.

The vice president said that he will personally follow up the Khalifa Sat work team, revealing that the government will embark on setting  up similar teams in other fields.

''When I look at the outstanding Emirati performers I always say this is what the late founding fathers Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan and Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum planted and today we are  harvesting the fruits for building capacities of Emirati citizen.''

During the visit, Sheikh Mohammed heard from the Emirati experts and engineers about EIAST's plan to build the new Khalifa Sat which will be launch into the outer space. He also viewed plans and designs of facilities for building satellites in 2015.

At EIAST, a powerful integrated national team of 45 high caliber engineers and experts are currently establishing advanced facilities and high-tech laboratories for building the promising humidity and dust- proof satellite

EIAST has launched two sats :DubaiSat 1 and DubaiSat 2 which marked a national milestone as they were the first remote sensing satellites to be fully-owned by a UAE entity.

Sheikh Mohammed was accompanied during the launch ceremony by Mohammed bin Abdullah Al Gargawi, Minister for Cabinet Affairs, Lt. General Dhahi Khalfan Tamim, Deputy Chairman of Police and Public Security. Major  General Mohammed Ahmed Al Qamzi, Chairman of EIAST, Khalifa Saeed Salman, Director General of Dubai Department of Protocol, and EIAST board members.

Mohammed bin Rashid receives Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai, has received H.H. Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Ras al-Khaimah.

Both sides discussed a number of national issues which have the highest priority of the wise leadership for the happiness of every citizen and the provision of a decent life and family stability.

The meeting took place in the presence of Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of Dubai Executive Council and Sheikh Mohammed bin Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Crown Prince of Ras al-Khaimah.

Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum hosted a lunch banquet in honour of the Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah, which was attended by a number of Sheiks, dignitaries and senior officials.

Sheikh Mohammed attends 6th Emirates Endurance Championship

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, on Saturday attended the 120-km Emirates Endurance Championship, organised by Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club in cooperation with Emirates Equestrian Federation at the Emirates International Endurance Race in Al Wathba.

The 6th endurance ride is supported by Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan's Global Arabian Flat Racing Festival and sponsored by Arabtec Cosntruction Company, the official partner of the festival.

Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai; Sheikh Hazza bin Zayed Al Nahyan, National Security Advisor; Sheikh Tahnoun bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy National Security Advisor; and Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, also watched the race.

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