Thales Alenia Space, a joint venture between Thales (67%) and Leonardo (33%), has recently signed a contract with the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC)—the scientific and technological hub leading the United Arab Emirates' advancements in space exploration and services—for the design and development of the Emirati module dedicated to astronaut activities and scientific research. This module will be attached to the Lunar Gateway, the cislunar space station.

The signing ceremony in Abu Dhabi was attended by Teodoro Valente, President of the Italian Space Agency.

The Airlock module will enable astronauts to conduct spacewalks, transfer research to and from the lunar station, and serve as an additional docking point for spacecraft. This contribution to the Gateway will position the UAE as a key player in space exploration, fostering the country's scientific community and preparing future generations of scientists and engineers to support space programs.

The Emirati Airlock will be designed to facilitate extravehicular activities (EVA) for astronauts, enhance Gateway operations and usability, and provide space for scientific experiments. This pressurized module will be used for the storage and maintenance of EVA suits, tools, and equipment, as well as a scientific repository for transferring research experiments and Gateway hardware between the station's pressurized interior and the external space environment.

Thales Alenia Space will leverage its expertise in Gateway systems to deliver the Airlock module to the Kennedy Space Center by May 2030. Key milestones planned for 2025 include the mission concept review, followed by the system requirements review, leading up to the Preliminary Design Reviews at both the primary structural and system levels.