OBSERVING SAUDI ECOSYSTEMS FROM SPACE

KAUST launches a CubeSat satellite to collect data on Saudi Arabia’s terrestrial, coastal and ocean ecosystems

KAUST has taken a leap forward in space exploration through its recent partnership with Spire Global. In a project led by Professor Matthew McCabe, director of the KAUST Climate and Livability Initiative, the university successfully launched a CubeSat satellite on the SpaceX Transporter-7 mission from the Vandenberg Space Force Base in the United States in April 2023. The 6U satellite is equipped with a hyperspectral imager, which

“We are excited to announce the launch of the first satellite developed by Spire for KAUST, to collect high-quality and highresolution data. With Spire space services, we’re here to simplify space for all.”

Frank Frulio, General Manager and Global Head of Space Services, Spire Global

can collect high-quality and high-resolution images anywhere on Earth. The satellite also includes a global navigation satellite system reflectometer (GNSS-R), which can be used to monitor soil moisture and vegetation changes. The satellite will directly support the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 objective of enhancing and restoring the region’s ecosystems by gathering data across a range of ecosystems, helping the Kingdom observe, characterize and manage its unique natural resources.

As a collaborative partner, Spire provided a seamless pathway to help deliver this CubeSat mission. A provider of “space-as-a-service”, Spire offers a range of expertise that can fasttrack satellite design, assembly, and launch facilitation, and guide the commissioning and testing of sensors once the satellite is in orbit. This model has allowed KAUST to deploy and scale its own satellite constellation at maximum speed and with minimum risk.

The project reflects Saudi Arabia’s increasing footprint in the space economy, with the development of its own space industry a part of a broader economic diversification strategy. In December 2018, the government established a Commission – renamed the Saudi Space Agency (SSA) in June 2023 – to accelerate economic diversification, enhance research and development, and increase private sector participation in the space industry. Since its founding, the SSA has joined the International Astronautical Federation, launched scholarship programs in space sciences and aerospace engineering, and signed agreements with Airbus and other major space technology companies. Recently, two Saudi astronauts, including the first Saudi female, were part of a mission to the International Space Station.

Through this satellite mission, KAUST aims to encourage future generations of scientists and engineers to participate in Saudi Arabia’s growing space exploration efforts. Professor McCabe’s team is currently analyzing the first set of images received from the satellite. While the satellite will have a primary focus on the Arabian Peninsula, it is capable of gathering images from around the world, allowing international collaborators to answer a range of environmental questions. Although Saudi Arabia is a new entrant in the field, the opportunity for investment in projects such as this could help position it as a global innovator in Earth observation and space exploration.

“This is the type of mission that we want to be able to see into the future: building innovation and technology in the Kingdom, training the next generation of scientists and engineers, and facilitating further space exploration from Saudi Arabia.”

MATTHEW MCCABE Professor of Remote Sensing and Water Security