Azerbaijani students will undergo internships at the United Arab Emirates Space Center.

A group of Azerbaijani students will participate in an internship program at the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). 

The internship is organized by the SPACE Academy, under the umbrella of Azercosmos, with support from the Innovation and Digital Development Agency. Participants include undergraduate students from the SABAH groups project under the State Agency for Science and Higher Education, as well as students from the National Aviation Academy studying space, aerospace engineering, artificial intelligence, and STEM fields, along with graduates of the “Technest” scholarship program.

Before the internship begins, students attended an introductory meeting at Azercosmos, where the importance of the program was highlighted. It was noted that the program offers students the opportunity to deeply explore space research, aerospace engineering, and advanced technologies. Those who successfully complete the program will have the chance to receive scholarships in space and technical sciences and may continue working with MBRSC’s scientific team.

This “REU Boot Camp,” which focuses on space, aerospace innovations, and technical disciplines, will provide students with a seven-day intensive experience. The program includes training sessions, hands-on practice, and concludes with assignments given by a mentor based on a specific research topic. Students will engage in areas such as space and aerospace systems, innovation and technology, information security, computer and electronic engineering, pilot and astronaut training, the UAE Moon and Mars missions, remote control systems, the use of Python programming in satellite observation, artificial intelligence applications, and participate in a master class led by the Arab world's first female astronaut, Nora Almatroushi.

Upon completion of the internship, students will be awarded certificates and granted graduate status.

Founded in 2006, the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre is the incubator of the UAE’s National Space Program. The center is responsible for the creation, development, and operation of several observation satellites, providing imaging services, and producing data for scientific communities and research centers globally. Among the center’s notable achievements are the "DubaiSat-1" and "DubaiSat-2" satellites. One of the MBRSC’s key initiatives is the "Emirates Mars" mission, which became the first Arab mission to reach Mars' orbit in 2021, gathering critical data about the planet's atmosphere.

To invest in human capital for the space sector, the center launched the UAE Astronaut Program in 2017. In 2019, Hazzaa Al-Mansoori became the first Emirati astronaut to fly to the International Space Station (ISS) for a scientific mission. Al-Mansoori also actively participated in the “Astronaut Program” at the International Astronautical Congress held in Baku last year.