Lucy from WEM

　　Existing replicas in the World Expo Museum

　　A scene from 3.2 million years ago: Australopithecus afarensis Lucy, whom we can meet at the Ethiopia Pavilion, gazes up at the stars from her specially constructed dwelling. This reconstruction of Lucy has been kindly donated by Ethiopia to the World Expo Museum, in Shanghai, China. Today, the “diamonds” Lucy admires are much more accessible to humankind.

　　CNSA’S Long March 2F

　　NASA’s Lucy probe

　　Just before the commencement of Expo 2020 Dubai Space Week, the China National Space Administration (CNSA) successfully launched the Shenzhou 13 spacecraft atop a Long March 2F rocket. Colonel Yaping Wang, the only female crew member among three, became the first female astronaut to board the Tiangong space station, and the first Chinese woman to perform a spacewalk. The name "Long March" represents the glorious and arduous adventure of the Chinese space industry, and illustrates that each coming generation has its own "long march". On the same day, NASA launched the Lucy probe from Cape Canaveral out to Jupiter to study ancient asteroids, or “fossils” from the early formation of planets. The mission is fondly named after the discovery of Australopithecus afarensis, a foundational discovery that was key to understanding human history and evolution, akin to our expedition into the new frontiers of space today.

　　Projections on Al Wasl Dome

　　Two Planets Exhibit at Kaleidoscope Light Show in Al Forsan Park

　　At Expo 2020, space is right at our finger-tips. The Two Planets exhibit during the Kaleidoscope Light Show in Al Forsan Park gives visitors a chance to blast off into space without leaving Earth. Al Wasl, the beating heart of Expo 2020 Dubai, comes to life at night to a spectacular display of humankind’s journey into the mystical final frontier.

　　photo of World Majlis

　　Russia’s latest achievements in space exploration

　　Collaboration and consensus in the space sector is paramount for humanity’s future, and is a huge topic at Space Week. At the World Majlis discussion centered around safety and equality in space exploration, Professor Steven Freeland, Member of the Advisory Board of the Australian Space Agency, speaks of a “virtuous circle,” where benefitting the whole of humanity will benefit each and every individual. Miguel Belló, CEO of the Atlantic International Research（AIR) Centre, said,“No single country can solve our problems in space. We have to save the planet by uniting,” as he proposed the formation of a “UN Space Agency”.

　　photo of Ibrahim Al Qasim, Space Science Advisor at the UAE Space Agency

　　While the UAE is a new entrant in the field space exploration, it has had a space agency for half of the country’s existence. Ibrahim Al Qasim, Space Science Advisor at the UAE Space Agency reflects on the legacy of Expo 2020 Dubai—saying that “Expo provides the platform for different nations to come together and look at our challenges in space from a more global and unified perspective.”

　　Tianwen-1

　　China’s Beidou Section in China Pavilion

　　When it comes to space, our limit can only be defined by our capacity for mutual cooperation. At Expo 2020 Dubai China Pavilion, we can see that there is no limit. In May of this year, China’s Zhurong Rover, from the Tianwen-1 Mission, landed on Mars. It was a project that fostered collaboration between five different nations’ space sectors. France's Institut de Recherche en Astrophysique et Planétologie (IRAP) in Toulouse, contributed to a Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy instrument on the rover. Argentina's National Space Activities Commission (CONAE) is collaborating on Tianwen-1 by way of a Chinese-run tracking station installed in Las Lajas, Neuquén. The Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG) aided in the development of a magnetometer installed on the Tianwen-1 orbiter. The Mars Express orbiter of the European Space Agency is also ready to serve as a backup to the Tianwen-1 orbiter. Thomas Zurbuchen, the head of science at NASA, remarked to BBC,“Together with the global science community, I look forward to the important contributions this mission will make to humanity’s understanding of the Red Planet.”

　　photo of Michele Emiliano， From Apulia to Space: Journey Into Beauty and Innovation

　　Apulia, one of the richest archaeological regions in Italy, shows how beauty and innovation connects us all. Grottaglie Spaceport, located in Taranto, Apulia, is the first international European spaceport. This trailblazing region of Italy is a prime example of how regional policies can drive strategic innovation. Michele Emiliano, President of the Apulia region, emphasizes the power of beauty in creating something lasting, and says,“We want to do this with the right people that have the patience to listen to us and understand what we are doing—without any political ties.”

　　Hazza Al Mansouri, Emirati Astronaut, shares his experiences at Expo 2020 Dubai Dignified Storytelling Forum

　　The final frontier is borderless: Lucy gazes up as Emirati astronaut Hazza Al Mansouri looks down at Earth from above:“You learn something,” he tells Expo News Service,“you notice there are no borders between countries… I’ve learnt that, as humans, we have to walk together to achieve amazing things.”

　　Nora Al Matrooshi, the first trained female astronaut in the UAE with staff of World Expo Museum Pavilion

　　Astronauts of UAE Space Agency and staff of World Expo Museum Pavilion