On the sidelines of the Dubai Airshow
On the sidelines of the Dubai Airshow, the UAE Space Agency announced the names of the winners of the Planet X Challenge 2023. The number of participants in this year’s edition was four times more than that of the 2021 edition.
There were 18 participants in the Lander Challenge for Startups & SMEs, 67 teams in the Research and Innovation Challenge, and 107 teams in the Students Challenge.
His Excellency Salem Butti Al Qubaisi, Director-General of the UAE Space Agency, said: “The Planet X Challenge marks a significant step within our vision and strategy to empower young generations and support startups to become future leaders in this field. We are keen on investing in this sustainable vision to make unprecedented achievements in space and reflect the UAE’s potential as a global hub for innovation and technology.”
His Excellency Salem Butti Al Qubaisi added: “These efforts affirm our commitment to scientific progress, and our belief in the capabilities of our youth and their potential in exploring the universe, in line with our aspirations for the next fifty years.”
The first-place winners in the SpaceAware Challenge were Quazer team, which included Yusuf Mohamed, Zayed Almarzouqi, Abdulla Alblooshi, and Suhail Mukhtar. The second-place winners were Zayed Ambitious Group, which included Tahani Al Azazai, Lina Alkhatib, Ahmed, Alshamsi, and Naser Alsa’adi. The third-place winners were The Tomorrow Team, which included Shahad Almussabi and Alhanouf Alblooshi. They developed an application to raise awareness and understanding of space exploration according to the stages of the space mission, using their creativity, technical skills, and passion for space.
The first-place winners in the Rover on Planet X Challenger were Abdulrahman Alkamali, Moza Almazroui, Sara Almazmi, Ghalia Albalooshi, and Ayman Al-Dakhil. The second-place winners were Amer Akamali, Meera Al Naqbi, Zakaria Alali, and Malak Al-Haj Ali.
As for the teams category in the Rover on Planet X Challenger, the first-place winner was Olympus Peak, and the second-place winner was Polaris.
As a multidisciplinary contest that will inspire the country’s youth and startups who are interested in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics, Planet X aims to contribute to building robust and well-connected experts in space, aerospace, and advanced technologies. Participants will have the opportunity to learn how to design, build, and program systems for deep space exploration. It will also provide them with exciting opportunities to engage in the Emirates Mission to the Asteroid Belt.
As a strategic partner, the UAE Space Agency is leading the first participation of the Space Pavilion at the Dubai Airshow, joining the main pillars of aviation and defense. The UAE Space Agency reviewed key achievements, and pioneering projects and initiatives, and worked on strengthening international strategic relations and partnerships in this vital sector.