UAE launches first homegrown rocket to conduct space research

The UAE has successfully launched its first homegrown rocket to conduct space research.

The tiny projectile, weighing 13 kilograms (29 pounds), blasted off on Friday from a remote island off Abu Dhabi and soared to an altitude of 3 kilometers (1.9 miles) before a parachute opened and the vessel landed in the UAE desert, The National reports.

The flight itself was a test of the UAE’s ability to launch a reusable research rocket, which was equipped with an engine, injectors, tanks, control systems and avionics that were designed and built by the government’s Technology Innovation Institute.

“This launch is a defining moment for science and engineering in the UAE,” said Najwa Aaraj, the institute’s CEO.