UAE continues to break barriers when it comes to space exploration, even after Emirati astronaut Sultan AlNeyadi came back home after spending six months on the International Space Station (ISS).

Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, on Monday chaired a board meeting of the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC), where a blueprint for the future of space projects in the country was laid out.

Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed said that the next phase in the UAE's journey would see "groundbreaking Emirati space ventures."

"We aim to be a major player in shaping the future of space exploration," he added.

There are a number of ambitious initiatives in the pipeline, which will seal UAE's place as a top player in the global space industry.

The Crown Prince outlined the following milestones set to be achieved in this sector:

1. UAE astronauts Mohammed Al Mulla and Nora Al Matroushi are all set to blast off into space in 2024 on important missions.

2. Also in 2024, the MBZ-Sat will be launched. This will be "the Arab world’s most advanced satellite to date."

3. The Rashid Rover 2 project, which aims to put a rover on the Moon, as did its predecessor, will continue as well.

"Our journey has just started, and the best is yet to come," Sheikh Hamdan concluded.

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