Katara Cultural Village’s chief, Khalid bin Ibrahim Al Sulaiti, met with former NASA chief technologist Jim Adams to discuss cooperation aimed at enhancing Qatar’s focus on astronomy and space science.

The General Manager of the Katara Cultural Village Foundation met with a former NASA chief technologist to discuss mutual cooperation.

Qatar’s Khalid bin Ibrahim Al Sulaiti and Jim Adams, whose experience in aerospace engineering and management spans over 30 years, met on Sunday.

In the past, Adams has shared his wealth of expertise with Qatar’s budding astronauts.

During a 2017 seminar at the Hamad bin Khalifa University, he unpacked the sky-high benefits of investing in the ‘big sciences’ – namely, astronomy and space sciences.

He discussed with attendees how through NASA’s Technology Transfer programme, the American space agency is committed to utilising and making readily available the cutting-edge technologies developed for aeronautics and space missions for the wider public and its benefit.

This includes the development of next-generation non-pneumatic, compliant tyre structures based on shape memory alloy elements.

Beyond being a cultural hub, Katara is also known for its drive to bolster education in Qatar.

The foundation’s Al Thuraya planetarium voyages Doha’s astronomy enthusiasts into the worlds of astronomy, geology, atmosphere, weather, oceans and more through its star-studded exhibitions.

From exploring the Prophetic narration of the splitting of the moon to displaying real-life NASA space suits, the planetarium’s museum encourages visitors to ponder over what lies beyond in the galaxies of our universe.

The planetarium, which was named after a cluster of seven bright stars which once held great significance to ancient Arab communities, also features Qatar’s first astronomical dome which has a capacity for as many as 200 people to enjoy the stories about different galaxies and experience them in 2D and 3D.