United Arab Emirates Space Agency and AWS sign agreement

The United Arab Emirates Space Agency and Amazon Web Services (AWS) have signed a Statement of Strategic Intent and Cooperation that is designed to support the creation of a vibrant, sustainable, competitive, and innovative space sector in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

 The United Arab Emirates Space Agency is responsible for the development of policies, strategies, and places related to the space sector. The Space Agency works closely with research institutes, industry, and fellow government agencies to build relevant space capabilities and support the long-term growth of the space ecosystem in the UAE.

AWS will collaborate with the Space Agency and related UAE government space organizations on the following three initiatives, designed to support the Space Agency’s long-term development goals:

1. The Emirati – AWS Space Industry Development Program (EASID). This initiative focuses both on the growth of existing commercial space organizations as well as the promotion of an environment conducive to new entrants like space startups. This initiative is set to provide them access to AWS Activate and the AWS Founders program, both designed to provide startups with AWS credit, technical training, and business support. In addition, this initiative will provide UAE commercial companies, startups, universities, and civil and government entities access to AWS experts to help develop new products, services, or activities in the relevant areas of satellite technology, space infrastructure development, and safety and security.
2. The Emirati – AWS Talent for Space Program (EATS). This initiative includes outreach and training designed to support talent development for the space industry in the UAE, particularly with regards to cloud computing and big data. Specifically, AWS will offer related research institutions with the ready-to-teach Cloud Career Pathways curriculum; professional AWS training through She Builds CloudU, a flexible, community-based learning program for women; and access to additional training and mentoring programs and workshops.
3. The Emirati – AWS Open Data Sponsorship Program. This initiative will encourage collaboration among the UAE space and research community through the sharing of data sets on AWS related to space data-driven initiatives such as space surveillance and space situational awareness programs.

The UAE Space Agency is the first in the region to sign such an agreement with AWS. This agreement builds on AWS’s ongoing support of regional space endeavors including the UAE Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre, whose Hope Probe is using AWS to analyze and share scientific data about the Martian atmosphere.

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