At the recent Space Debris Conference hosted by Saudi Space Agency, NorthStar Earth & Space and the Saudi Space Agency signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) related to Space Situational Awareness (SSA). The agreement comes shortly after NorthStar had its first four satellites launched at the end of January.
The 2024 Space Debris Conference was co-hosted by the Saudi’s with the Communications, Space & Technology Commission (CST), the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) as a partner, and the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) as a content partner.
In a news release, the Saudi Space Agency stated that the MOU with NorthStar will focus “on developing a collaborative relationship on space object tracking and analytics. This partnership is intended to bolster joint efforts to evaluate and explore future opportunities in this field and facilitate the exchange of expertise and insights deriving from space situational awareness.”
They also added “the agreement emphasizes the continued expansion of Saudi Arabia’s space industry by enhancing research and development capabilities, and potentially establishing a local specialized center of excellence in space situational awareness. The collaboration will delve into space traffic and conducting research on space sustainability and related analytics, environmental impacts, and assessment of various sensing technologies including optical, radar, and radio frequency systems. “
In the NorthStar news releases, they also stated that the company “will explore the potential for a business presence in Saudi Arabia to expand their global services, localize the development of advanced space technologies, and strengthen synergies with local universities and research centres.”
Stewart Bain, CEO of NorthStar said of the agreement, “collaboration with emerging space nations that have prioritized sustainability is a priority for NorthStar. After our successful launch of the world’s first commercial space based SSA constellation, Saudi Arabia presents an excellent opportunity for NorthStar to rapidly expand its international presence in this region.”
Signing on behalf of the Saudi Space Agency was His Excellency Dr. Mohammed Al Tamimi, the agency’s CEO.
A livestream of the Space Debris Conference is available in two parts:
Live-stream Day 1 : Policy & Governance | Space Debris Conference
Live-stream Day 2 : Innovative Solutions | Space Debris Conference
