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The Board of Directors of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Center, MBRSC, held a meeting chaired by Talal Humaid Belhoul, Vice President, MBRSC to discuss developments related to future projects at the Center, aligned with the strategic plan of the UAE’s National Space Program. The meeting was attended by Hamad Obaid Al Mansoori, Chairman, MBRSC, Yousuf Hamad AlShaibani, Director-General, MBRSC, along with the members of the Board of Directors, Mohammad Abdullah Alzaffin, Mansoor Juma Buosaiba, Mohamed Saif Al Meqbaali, and others.

During the meeting, Belhoul was briefed on the reports of the MBRSC’s current projects, strategy and plans that endeavor to support the country’s strategy in the space sector and its contributions to other sectors, within the UAE’s National Space Program. Belhoul appreciated the efforts of the work done by the team at the center and the support they provided to government agencies and vital sectors in the UAE.

Stressing on the importance of the Center’s role in actively contributing to the promotion of space exploration in the UAE, he said, “Space is a competitive arena for scientific knowledge, and we are proud that the UAE is one of nine countries in the world that has an active space program. We have achieved a lot in this short span, but we have much more to accomplish. We will work towards achieving the vision of the wise leadership of the UAE to be one of the leading countries in terms of knowledge and scientific achievements.”

Unlike a traditional rocket engine, which consists of individually designed parts that are combined together the AI designed rocket engine was 3D printed as one continuous piece. This includes both the combustion chamber where fuel and oxidiser is burned and the surface channels, through which the fuel is circulated to cool the chamber and keep it from overheating.

“In a rocket, the cooling channels are generally welded onto the combustion chamber, which through wear and tear can cause errors and explosions,” explained Hyperganic’s design director Duy-Anh Pham.


For the past number of years I’ve been taking about the rise of so called Creative Machines, Artificial Intelligence (AI) based “innovation” machines, that can design and innovate things for themselves without any human intervention – things such as aircraft parts, chairs, fashion lines, interplanetary rovers, self-evolving robots, and Under Armour trainers. And now those same creative machines have made yet another leap, and again it’s another first for the space industry, after German software company Hyperganic announced they’d developed a 3D printed rocket engine prototype, which was completely designed by AI.

Called “Spinnaker3,” this drag sail isn’t the first to be launched into space. But it is among the first to be large enough for deorbiting the upper stage of a launch vehicle. The Firefly Alpha launch will target an orbit altitude of about 200 miles, but the Spinnaker3 drag sail is capable of providing deorbit capability from orbit altitudes of 400 miles or greater.


WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — A rocket is going up into space with a drag sail. The goal? For the drag sail to bring the rocket back to Earth, preventing it from becoming like the thousands of pieces of space junk in Earth’s lower orbit.

The drag sail, developed by Purdue University engineers, will be on board a Firefly Aerospace rocket expected to launch in November from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.

Mike Snead, P.E., president of the Spacefaring Institute, was invited to present at the Envision Humanity conference held in Portugal on 18 July 2020. This presentation was delivered via video. It addresses the world green energy needed to “globally reset” human civilization using astroelectricity (GEO space-based solar power) to achieve sustainable, prosperous living worldwide. The presentation also shows why the “Green New Deal’s” call to use terrestrial nuclear and renewable energy to replace fossil carbon fuels is not a practical solution. The presentation provides an interesting way to understand the magnitude of the engineering challenge and options available to complete this important transition to sustainable energy.

This piece was written as part of the Artificial Intelligence and International Stability Project at the Center for a New American Security, an independent, nonprofit organization based in Washington, D.C. Funded by Carnegie Corporation of New York, the project promotes thinking and analysis on AI and international stability. Given the likely importance that advances in artificial intelligence could play in shaping our future, it is critical to begin a discussion about ways to take advantage of the benefits of AI and autonomous systems, while mitigating the risks. The views expressed here are solely those of the author and do not represent positions of IEEE Spectrum or the IEEE.


AI deception: when your artificial intelligence learns to lie.