Israel and the United Arab Emirates agreed Oct. 20 to cooperate on space missions. The Emirati Space Agency signed a memorandum of understanding with the Israel Space Agency to enhance cooperation in scientific research and space exploration.
The deal, finalized at the 2020 Dubai Expo, includes collaboration on the Israeli Beresheet 2 space project bound for the moon in 2024. Israeli and Emirati students will work together to design a new satellite tracking the moon. The Beresheet 2 spacecraft will carry that satellite, which should help those following the Hebrew and Muslim calendars to determine the precise time of the new moon. The two countries will also work together on data-based development and research from the Israeli-French satellite Venus.