Saudi Arabia launches its 17th satellite successfully

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia on Monday announced that it has launched its 17th satellite, “Shaheen Sat”,  successfully from Baikonur base in the Republic of Kazakhstan onboard Russian rocket “Soyuz 2”.      

According to King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST), the satellite is dedicated to photographing Earth and tracking ships from low orbits.

“Shaheen Sat” is a new generation of small size satellites and includes the load of high-resolution imaging telescope and a load for tracking marine ships.

“Developed and manufactured within a short period of time, the satellite is characterized by an imaging accuracy of up to 0.9 meters, a weight not exceeding 75 kg and dimensions up to 56 x 56 x 97 cm,” said the authorities.

In a statement, KACST President Dr. Anas Bin Faris Al-Faris indicated that the success of the satellite launch comes as a continuation of the successes achieved by the Kingdom in the field of space, as KACST worked to develop and manufacture a group of highly efficient satellites that provide imaging and reconnaissance services, as it launched 17 satellites during the past 20 years, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported.

He said that “Shaheen Sat” will provide satellite images to government and private sectors to serve the Kingdom’s development goals as it also works to track marine vessels by employing artificial intelligence techniques and large data.

Earlier today, the Russian space agency Roscosmos announced that the Soyuz 2.1a rocket launched into space with 38 satellites from 18 countries, including Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.