Middle East Space Roundup: 20 to 26 May 2024
A summary of all the space news in the Greater Middle East over the past week, brought to you by AzurX
The following are the major space developments in the Greater Middle East region tracked by Middle East Space Monitor over the past week:
Arab Space Agencies Betwixt the Superpowers
Egypt, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and UAE Participate in BRICS Space Meeting
The heads of space agencies from BRICS countries, including space agency representatives from Egypt, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE, convened in Moscow, Russia, under Russia's chairmanship to discuss international cooperation in the space sector. Over the two-day meeting, representatives addressed ongoing and prospective projects, aiming to foster collaboration and adopt joint documents. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov highlighted the significance of the meeting, emphasising cooperation in space as a shared priority. South Africa expressed support for Russia's proposal to establish a space council within BRICS and intends to deepen collaboration, particularly with recently joined members Ethiopia and Egypt. The UAE praised Russia's contributions to space exploration and emphasised the importance of leveraging collective resources for global progress. Ethiopia, attending for the first time, seeks to enhance its understanding of space cooperation among BRICS countries, particularly in research projects. China advocated for greater international collaboration in lunar exploration and proposed joint efforts in building the International Lunar Research Station (ILRS) alongside Russia. Additionally, China aims to elevate cooperation within BRICS for satellite constellation development and resource enhancement.
Gulf Arab Representatives Attend Artemis Accords Workshop in Canada
The 2nd edition of the Artemis Accords Workshop commenced at the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) headquarters, aiming to further discussions on principles for peaceful and sustainable civil space exploration. Co-hosted by Parliamentary Secretary Sameer Zuberi, CSA President Lisa Campbell, and NASA Deputy Administrator Pamela Melroy, the workshop gathers representatives from 25 of the 40 signatories to deliberate on enhancing the governance of space activities, including representatives from Saudi Arabia and the UAE. The Artemis Accords, a set of non-binding principles, underscore the commitment to safe, transparent, and sustainable space exploration among all participants. Canada, an original signatory since October 2020, emphasised the importance of collaborative efforts in promoting scientific discovery and innovation while ensuring the responsible use of space resources. Minister François-Philippe Champagne underscored the significance of space exploration for societal advancement and welcomed international partners to explore future endeavours in space.
Egyptian Space Agency and Hong Kong’s USPACE Enter Into Strategic Partnership
The Egyptian Space Agency (EgSA) and Hong Kong’s USPACE Technology Group Limited have entered into a strategic partnership across various dimensions, including technological, operational, strategic, market, educational, and collaborative aspects. With a focus on mutual benefits and long-term cooperation, the agreement outlines joint efforts in satellite manufacturing, testing, launching, and educational initiatives within the space sector. The development of a 6U-sized CubeSat, with manufacturing in Hong Kong and testing in Egypt, serves as a cornerstone project under this agreement. Furthermore, the agreement encompasses technology research and development, training services, international seminars, and other areas of cooperation. With a five-year validity period, extendable by mutual consent, this partnership aims to enhance USPACE's technological capabilities, market presence, and revenue base while fostering international collaboration and recognition in the global space industry.
Bahrain’s NSSA Collaborates With China’s Star.Vision and Oman’s Oman Lens to Use AI on Satellites
Bahrain’s National Space Science Authority (NSSA) has embarked on a groundbreaking collaboration with Chinese company Star.Vision and Omani company Oman Lens to deploy AI algorithms aboard a satellite. NSSA engineers are tasked with developing these sophisticated algorithms, leveraging their expertise in advanced AI for satellite applications. The project aims to analyse satellite-captured images in real-time for urban planning, environmental monitoring, and maritime activities. Despite the technical challenges of ensuring precision in space conditions and navigating data privacy concerns, this initiative signifies Bahrain’s advancement in the global space arena and its strategic utilisation of diplomatic ties for technological prowess. While the project promises innovation and real-time data processing benefits, it also entails significant costs, technical demands, and competitive pressures within the increasingly crowded space industry.
CABSAT 30th Edition Highlights
CABSAT, the premier conference for the broadcast, satellite, content creation, production, distribution, and entertainment industries, concluded its 30th edition on 23 May 2024, at the Dubai World Trade Centre with record-breaking attendance of over 18,000 visitors. The three-day event featured announcements of collaborations and Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) between exhibiting organisations, as well as highlights of emerging trends and technologies, fostering insightful discussions among industry leaders. Among notable developments was the strategic partnership between Iraq's OTT streaming platform Almanasa and Jordan’s Roya Media Group, a provider of premium digital content, aiming to deliver a diverse and extensive library of entertainment options to audiences across Iraq. CABSAT 2024 showcased exclusive conference events, such as the Content Congress and the SATExpo Summit, providing global industry leaders, regional government officials, and other business stakeholders with networking and knowledge-sharing opportunities.
Arabsat Selects Grass Valley AMPP SaaS Platform for Broadcasting Flexibility
Arabsat, headquartered in Saudi Arabia, selected Grass Valley, a specialist in live production solutions, for its AMPP SaaS platform as the foundation for a new three-tiered suite of broadcast transmission services. Arabsat delivers over 700 TV and radio channels to more than 80 countries. The new services are based on Playout X, an AMPP-based SaaS solution that will enable Arabsat customers to broadcast signals in a much more flexible and efficient way.
Arabsat Extends Partnership With ST Engineering iDirect for Enhanced Connectivity
Arabsat and ST Engineering iDirect extended their multi-year partnership to enhance connectivity in new markets throughout the Middle East, Africa, and West/Central Asia through expanded market access on Arabsat Badr-7 and 6A broadband managed services.
Arabsat Partners With neXat for Automated Operations
Arabsat also announced a deal with neXat, to use neXat’s platform to manage various hubs in a single application for its new multicontinental managed services offering. The neXat platform will be the primary orchestration tool for running Arabsat’s operations and automate tasks such as customer VSAT terminal lifecycles, network monitoring and management, and billing.
Egypt’s Nilesat Selects PlayBox Neo for Expansion of Playout Infrastructure
Egypt’s Nilesat has selected PlayBox Neo for a significant expansion of the broadcast channel management and playout infrastructure at Nilesat’s Cairo headquarters. This project was supported by PlayBox Neo’s distribution partner, Modern Broadcast Centre (MBC). PlayBox Neo broadcast products and cloud solutions cover everything from live playout to fully automated transmission.
Sweden’s Satcube Introduces New SATCOM-on-the-Move Products for Gulf Clients
Sweden’s Satcube introduced Satcube Motion, its first on-the-move satellite terminal, along with Satcube Instant, an all-in-one rental service that promises delivery of a pre-configured Satcube Ku terminal within two business days for immediate use upon arrival. Over the past six months, Satcube has forged collaborations with companies in Saudi Arabia and government entities in the UAE and Kuwait.
UAE’s YahClick Partners With Eutelsat for Satellite Broadband Services in Ethiopia
In a strategic move to enhance satellite broadband offerings and expand into new markets in Africa and beyond, UAE’s YahClick, a subsidiary of Yahsat, and Eutelsat Group signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that enables YahClick to leverage capacity on Eutelsat's geostationary satellite, EUTELSAT KONNECT. This collaboration between the two leading satellite operators aligns with Yahsat's efforts to elevate its offerings and drive growth across its satellite broadband footprint in Africa. As part of the agreement, Yahsat will enjoy exclusive rights to Eutelsat's KONNECT capacity over Ethiopia, one of the fastest-growing African markets.
Qatar’s Es’hailSat Participates in CABSAT 2024
Qatar’s Es'hailSat, the Qatar Satellite Company, participated in the CABSAT 2024 exhibition. Es'hailSat presented operations and media services that it launched recently, in addition to showcasing the services of its ground station equipped with communications via multiple optical fibers and two high-performance satellites: Es'hail-1 and Es'hail-2.
Azerbaijan’s Azercosmos and Viasat Partner for L-Band Satellite IoT Services
Azercosmos and Viasat have entered into a partnership to provide L-band satellite services in Azerbaijan, aiming to deliver connectivity for a wide range of industrial applications. This collaboration will enable organisations to operate more efficiently, sustainably, and safely, even in remote locations, by powering applications such as tracking and telemetry for advanced transport systems, pipeline monitoring and control for energy companies, real-time control for utilities, and environmental or safety monitoring for mining and agriculture.
Israel and SATCOM Developments
Israel’s Get SAT Acquired by Thales in Face of Starlink Competition
In response to the evolving demands in the satellite communications market, driven largely by the success of constellations like SpaceX's Starlink and Starshield, companies like Thales are adapting their approach and acquiring new businesses to meet the U.S. Pentagon's desire for more capable SATCOM solutions. The U.S. Department of Defense now seeks terminals that can communicate with satellites across multiple orbits, requiring a shift from traditional geostationary (GEO) satellite-focused parabolic antennas to electronically steered arrays that can track fast-moving low Earth orbit (LEO) and medium Earth orbit (MEO) satellites. Thales' acquisition of the Israeli company Get SAT, particularly for products like the Ka-band Milli Sling Blade antenna, demonstrates the company's commitment to fielding antennas that can meet the needs of satellites across multiple orbits and serve users who are constantly on the move. The flat panel technology and software-driven capabilities of these antennas offer advantages such as beam shaping and interference minimisation. Additionally, innovations in modems and secure waveforms under the Pentagon's Protected Anti-Jam Tactical SATCOM family of systems further enhance the resilience and security of SATCOM signals. These developments highlight the industry's efforts to adapt to the changing requirements of the SATCOM market and provide more advanced, mobile, and secure solutions for military and special operations users.
Israel’s SatixFy Sells Onyx IFC SATCOM Terminals to Austria’s SCOTTY Group
Israel’s SatixFy Communications and SCOTTY Group Austria GmbH have entered into a partnership agreement, wherein SatixFy will supply its Onyx in-flight connectivity terminals to SCOTTY. The Onyx terminal, renowned for its compactness and advanced digital beam-forming technology, is tailored for small to mid-sized aircraft and boasts multi-orbit connectivity capabilities. This collaboration aims to address the connectivity limitations faced by aircraft lacking suitable terminal sizes, thereby offering high-end, reliable satellite communication solutions. SCOTTY anticipates installing the first Onyx system on a business aircraft by the latter half of 2024. SCOTTY's CEO, Joachim Kalcher, expressed enthusiasm for the partnership, highlighting the alignment between the companies' offerings and their ability to cater to various segments within the aero market. The partnership underscores the industry's commitment to enhancing in-flight connectivity solutions, catering to the evolving needs of government, business jets, and commercial airlines.
Israel’s SatixFy Reports Mixed Q1 2024 Financial Results
Israel’s SatixFy Communications Ltd. has released its financial results for the first quarter of 2024, showcasing a mixed performance. While total revenues decreased by 20% compared to the same period last year, gross profit increased significantly, reaching $1.6 million with a gross margin of 83%. However, the operating loss widened to $7.7 million due to increased Research and Development (R&D) expenses, particularly driven by efforts to develop space-grade Application Specific Integrated Circuit ("ASICs"). Despite decreased selling and marketing expenses, net loss for the quarter amounted to $11.3 million. The company's cash and cash equivalents stood at $10.0 million as of 31 March 2024. Nir Barkan, CEO of SatixFy, expressed optimism about the company's trajectory, highlighting progress in chip development and anticipation for commercialisation by the first quarter of 2025. Barkan emphasised SatixFy's focus on R&D investments to capitalise on the low-latency satellite market and deliver enhanced communication efficiency and performance to customers.
Other News
Space Tourism Trial to Take Place in Saudi Arabia Within Next 60 Days
Saudi Arabia is on the cusp of a major breakthrough in space tourism, with the CEO of the Saudi Space Agency, Dr. Mohammed Al Tamimi, announcing plans to conduct trials within the next 60 days. This revelation comes amidst projections of a significant increase in satellite launches, with expectations to send 36,000 satellites over the next six years, tripling the current number. The 2024 Future Aviation Forum in Riyadh showcased the rapid growth and strategic initiatives driving the industry forward, with key figures from various sectors highlighting developments in tourism, aviation, and space exploration.
UAE’s Space42 Aligns with Strategic Objectives of Bayanat and Yahsat
The merger between Bayanat and Yahsat to form Space42 is a strategic decision that reflects the UAE's progressive vision to transform its economy into an innovative, AI-driven ecosystem, according to Space42 designate Managing Director Karim Michel Sabbagh in an interview with Gulf Business. The merger combines Yahsat's advanced satellite communication capabilities and Bayanat's AI-powered geospatial analytics expertise to create a unique, vertically integrated provider of geospatial and mobility solutions, Earth observation, satellite communications, IoT, and business intelligence. Space42 will leverage the differentiating capabilities of both companies to tackle issues with unmatched precision and efficiency, streamlining the end-to-end process and allowing for unparalleled insights. The merger aligns with the strategic objectives of both Bayanat and Yahsat, creating synergies that contribute to expanding their operations in the space technology sector by leveraging combined resources and capabilities more effectively. Shareholders and investors have responded positively to the merger, understanding that Space42 has the potential for significant global growth and synergies, providing a proxy to participate in the rapid growth of the space economy sector in the UAE and beyond. By combining geospatial analytics and satellite capabilities with AI, Space42 aims to develop innovative platforms, products, and applications, delivering significant benefits to the societies and economies it serves.
UAE’s Space42 Aims to be a Pioneer in Using AI in Satellite Systems and Products
UAE’s Space42 is strategically incorporating AI technologies into its satellite systems to meet the evolving demands of the space sector and position itself as a leader in the industry, according to the company’s designated Managing Director Karim Michel Sabbagh in an interview with SatelliteProME. By leveraging AI, Space42 aims to become more efficient, reach further into space, and deliver services more rapidly, ultimately democratising space applications and making them accessible to more people worldwide. The company plans to introduce a new industry standard by establishing a platform for transformative AI technologies that enable its shared geospatial intelligence and satellite communications services. With AI already powering its geospatial intelligence business, Space42 intends to bring these cognitive capabilities to its satellite communications business across six domains, particularly in the context of its newest spacecraft launches in 2024, 2027, and 2028. AI will play a multifaceted role in optimising satellite network operations, including traffic management, dynamic resource allocation, signal processing, predictive maintenance, interference mitigation, anomaly detection, and adaptive communication systems. By leveraging AI, Space42 aims to enhance the performance, reliability, and efficiency of satellite networks in the region, supporting the UAE's ambition to become a world leader in AI by 2031. The success of these initiatives will be measured by the company's ability to optimise design, operations, service, learning, and innovation, providing a competitive advantage in the satellite industry.
Saudi Space Agency Successfully Concludes Space Madak Competition
The Saudi Space Agency recently concluded its Space Madak competition, awarding prizes to 10 winners from seven Arab countries for their outstanding projects in arts, botany, and engineering. The competition, which engaged ambitious Arab students and received over 80,000 submissions, showcased the participants' enthusiasm for space exploration and skills development. The top 10 contenders were selected by a panel of judges consisting of scientists, experts, and space enthusiasts, following rigorous evaluation rounds. The winning projects will be showcased on the International Space Station, providing an opportunity to advance research, development, and innovation in space exploration while enriching Arab contributions to the field. The competition represents a significant milestone in the Saudi Space Agency's mission to support research, development, and innovation within the domain of space exploration, aligning with Saudi Arabia's focus on fostering creative thinking among Arab students and igniting curiosity about space. The event also celebrated the first anniversary of the successful "Saudi Toward Space" mission, which included 14 pioneering scientific experiments conducted by astronauts Rayyanah Barnawi and Ali Al Qarni. The mission, a major milestone in the Kingdom's journey toward leadership in the space sector, yielded valuable contributions to research, development, and innovation while fostering national expertise and enhancing cooperation with leading international institutions.
Other News in Brief
Among the other regional space and satellite developments over the past week are:
Morocco and the United States have expressed their shared resolve to strengthen bilateral military cooperation and explore new opportunities for collaboration, particularly in the areas of training, the use of space for national defence needs and sustainable development, cyber defence, and the defence industry;
Qatar and Romania sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to enhance cooperation and exchange expertise and best practices in the communications sector, including satellite regulation policies and monitoring satellite frequencies;
Azercosmos signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Esri Global, Inc., the world leader in geospatial information system (GIS) technology. The cooperation aims to promote geospatial information data in research and educational initiatives in Azerbaijan;
Katara – the Cultural Village in Doha, Qatar, has announced the launch of the Katara Space Sciences Programme, a groundbreaking initiative aimed at promoting awareness, education, and scientific research in the fields of space and astronomy. The programme, developed in collaboration with a group of international space scientists, targets students, researchers, and community members, marking a significant step towards enhancing knowledge and interest in these domains;
UAE’s Yahsat Abu Dhabi Teleport has been awarded the highest-level Tier 4 certification by the World Teleport Association (WTA). This internationally recognized certification serves as an independently verified benchmark, acknowledging Yahsat's extensive efforts to deliver top-tier services in line with world-class standards;
UAE’s Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) to host the 43rd Annual International Society for Gravitational Physiology (ISGP) Meeting, being held for the first time ever in the Arab world and hosted by the centre, is set to begin on 27 May 2024 at the Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences (MBRU) in Dubai;
Oman’s Omantel will showcase its cutting-edge tech innovations at COMEX 2024, with a strong focus on AI, space technology, and ICT solutions as a technology partner during COMEX.
Recommended Reading
Jewish Space Lasers and Ebrahim Raisi’s Fatal Helicopter Crash in Iran
After the confirmation of Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi's death in a helicopter crash, speculation and conspiracy theories flooded social media platforms, with many pointing fingers at Israel due to the historic tension between the two countries. Despite official statements attributing the crash to bad weather and an aging helicopter, suspicions of foul play persist, fueled by past instances of covert attacks and espionage between Iran and Israel and a regional proclivity for turning conspiracy theories into an art form. Some online users even suggested that "Direct Energy Weapons" or space lasers, were behind the accident, although such claims lack any substance at all. The death of Raisi, seen as a potential successor to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, further complicates Iran's political landscape, sparking discussions about succession and internal power dynamics within the Iranian government.
Hong Kong’s USPACE in the Middle East: Less Than Meets the Eye?
Over on LinkedIn, Blaine Curcio, of The China Space Monitor, writes that Hong Kong’s USPACE, formerly known as HKATG, received a significant investment of $25 million from Alpha MBM Investments, representing Sheikh Mohammed Bin Maktoum Bin Juma Al-Maktoum's private investment office. This investment was directed into the company's UAE subsidiary, marking a substantial development in the company's financial landscape. Notably, USPACE, based in Hong Kong, is spearheading the development of a Space-Eco Park in Abu Dhabi, with several Chinese commercial space firms showing interest in the project, indicating a potential nexus for Chinese space activities in the Middle East region. The Sheikh's presence on the board of directors of the Hong Kong-listed parent company adds a strategic advantage, given his role as the Minister of Finance in the UAE. However, USPACE's ambitious projects, including a previously announced launch site in Djibouti, have raised skepticism due to past unfulfilled agreements. Nonetheless, USPACE's status as a Hong Kong company could facilitate foreign investments, reflecting Hong Kong's modern role as a conduit between mainland China and the global market.
Be sure to catch up with space activities in the region in the next edition of Middle East Space Monitor’s space roundup!