Emirates Global Aluminium, the largest industrial company in the United Arab Emirates outside the oil and gas sector, announced yesterday the supply of “Celestial” aluminum made with solar energy from Emirates Global Aluminium, to enter for the first time in the space sector through a partnership with the Gulf Extrusions Company and the Center Mohammed bin Rashid Space.
Celestial aluminum was formed at the company’s site in Jebel Ali, to manufacture the MBZ-SAT satellite of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Center, which is the most advanced satellite in the region in the field of high-resolution imaging, which is scheduled to be launched in 2024.
This partnership is a significant step for the UAE space sector in implementing the “Make in the UAE” initiative, and it also supports the “300 billion project” strategy, which seeks to more than double the size of the industrial sector by 2031, and achieve the UAE’s goal of strengthening its position in the global economy. space exploration worldwide.
The first entirely Emirati-made aluminum parts were delivered to the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Center in Al Khawaneej, Dubai.
“Our role in the center is not limited to space exploration, but rather extends to contributing to the diversification of the country’s economy,” said Salem Humaid Al-Marri, Director General of the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre.
He added, “We appreciate the value of uniting efforts with various partners to benefit from their experience and capabilities. And by establishing strategic partnerships with innovative entities, such as Emirates Global Aluminum and Gulf Extrusions Company, we are contributing to the development of the UAE space sector.”
He continued, “We are committed to supporting innovation and working to promote the growth of this vital industry.”
For his part, CEO of Emirates Global Aluminium, Abdul Nasser bin Kalban, said: “Emirates Global Aluminum has been manufacturing its metal in the Emirates since 1979, and we are pleased to cooperate with Gulf Extrusions, in order to provide celestial aluminum made with solar energy to one of the largest Emirati edifices in order to reach outer space”.
He added, “Aluminium is an essential material for modern life, especially in the field of space travel, and celestial aluminum made with solar energy represents a major contribution from the UAE to the progress of humanity.”
Omar Shuqam, CEO of Gulf Extrusions, said: “The parts we make locally from Emirates Global Aluminum are used in everything from cars to skyscrapers around the world. We are pleased that our products will reach space for the first time through the MBZ-SAT satellite.”
He added, “We seek to support the (Make in the UAE) initiative, and contribute to building an integrated modern life at the same time.”
The Mohammed bin Rashid Space Center was established with the aim of advancing space exploration sciences and technologies, and the center plays a pivotal role in achieving the country’s goals in the field of space sciences and the technology sector. The center’s main programs and projects include the satellite development program, the Emirates Astronaut Program, the Emirates Mars Exploration Project, the Mars 2117 Program, and the Emirates Moon Exploration Project, in addition to many other goals. The Mohammed bin Rashid Space Center aims to establish partnerships with major international space institutions, recognizing the importance of cooperation in order to promote innovation and drive the growth of the UAE and Arab space sectors.
Aluminum has been an essential material in space exploration since the launch of the first artificial satellite in 1957, due to its light weight, strength and resistance to corrosion.
The aluminum manufactured by Emirates Global Aluminum is the country’s largest domestically manufactured export after oil and gas, as it is sold in more than 50 countries around the world. And in 2021, Emirates Global Aluminum became the first company in the world to produce aluminum commercially using solar energy through an agreement with the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority, which operates the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park in the Dubai desert. The use of solar energy significantly reduces greenhouse gas emissions in the global aluminum industry, with about 60% of these emissions attributed to electricity generation.
Last year, EGA hosted Emirati astronaut Hazzaa Al Mansoori in an online seminar to discuss the uses of aluminum in space with company employees.
In addition, EGA is one of the most innovative companies in the UAE and has been developing its aluminum smelting technologies in the country for more than 30 years. Among the latest technologies developed by EGA is the DX+ Ultra smelting technology, which is considered among the most efficient technologies in the global aluminum industry. The company has also used its own technology in all expansions of its smelters since the 1990s. An Emirati industrial company that licenses its proprietary industrial technologies internationally.
It is noteworthy that the Gulf Extrusions Company, a subsidiary of the Al Ghurair Group, is one of 26 local customers of Emirates Global Aluminum, who manufacture everything from auto parts to window frames for local use and export to all parts of the world, as the company sells 10% of its production locally, and the aluminum sector contributes 1.5%. in the UAE economy.
• “Celestial” aluminum made with solar energy enters for the first time in the aerospace sector.
