Saudi Space Agency
Agency overview
وكالة الفضاء السعودية

Abbreviation	SSA
Former name	Saudi Space Commission
Formed	December 27, 2018; 5 years ago (2018-12-27)
Type	Space agency
Jurisdiction	Government of Saudi Arabia
Headquarters	Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Chairperson	Abdullah Alswaha
Chief Executive Officer	Muhammad al-Tamimi
Owner	Saudi Arabia
Website	Official English Website

The Saudi Space Agency (SSA; Arabic: وكالة الفضاء السعودية), previously known as the Saudi Space Commission (SSC), is a Saudi independent government entity established by a royal order on December 27, 2018 and elevated to an agency on June 14, 2023.^[1] The agency is chaired by Abdullah Alswaha, the Saudi Minister of Communications and Information Technology.^[2]

On July 17, 2024 it was reported that the Sudia space agency signed a space agreement with NASA to collaborate on civilian space research and explorations. This is another step forward on the country's ambition to create a robust space sector.^[3]

Spaceflights

[edit]

Prior to the establishment of the Saudi Space Agency, the only Saudi astronaut was prince Sultan bin Salman Al Saud, who flew aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery in 1985 as a Payload Specialist on STS 51-G.

In 2022, the SSA partnered with American private spaceflight company Axiom Space to send two Saudi astronauts, including the first Saudi woman in space, to the International Space Station aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon as part of Axiom Mission 2.^[4] The astronauts selected were Ali AlQarni and Rayyanah Barnawi, with Ali AlGhamdi and Mariam Fardous as backups.^[5]

List of SSA astronauts

[edit]

Name	Selection	Time in space	Missions
Ali AlQarni	2023	9 days, 5 hours and 27 minutes	Axiom Mission 2
Rayyanah Barnawi	2023	9 days, 5 hours and 27 minutes	Axiom Mission 2
Ali AlGhamdi	2023	N/A	Axiom Mission 2 (backup)
Mariam Fardous	2023	N/A	Axiom Mission 2 (backup)

References

[edit]

^ Obeid, Ghinwa (14 June 2023). "Saudi Space Commission elevated to Saudi Space Agency, expanding Kingdom's ambitions". Al Arabiya English. Retrieved 20 January 2024.
^ "Board Members". ssa.gov.sa. Retrieved 2024-01-21.
^ "Nasa, Saudi Arabia sign space agreement". gulfnews.com. 2024-07-17. Retrieved 2024-07-17.
^ Bell, Jennifer (23 March 2023). "Saudi astronauts to research cancer, cloud seeding, microgravity in space". Al Arabiya English. Retrieved 20 January 2024.
^ "Axiom Space Partners with Saudi Space Commission to Send First Female Saudi Astronaut to Space". Axiom Space. 2022-09-22. Retrieved 2024-01-21.

Politics of outer space

Space races

Chinese
space program

Two Bombs, One Satellite doctrine (1966–1976)
Shuguang program (1966–1972)
Chinese ASAT program (1964–)
- 2007 test
Project 921 (1992–)
Chinese Lunar Exploration Program (2003–)
Mars and beyond
- Planetary Exploration of China (2016–)
- MARS-500 study

ESA Science Programme

European Launcher Development Organisation (1960–1975)
- Europa launcher programme (1962–1973)
European Space Research Organisation (1964–1975)
European Space Agency (1975–)
- EU/ESA Space Council
- European Cooperation for Space Standardization
- European Space Research and Technology Centre
  - Concurrent Design Facility
- European Astronaut Centre
- ESA Centre for Earth Observation
  - Living Planet Programme
- European Centre for Space Applications and Telecommunications
- European Data Relay System
- Space Telescope European Coordinating Facility (1983–2010)
- European Space Astronomy Centre (2005–)
- European Space Security and Education Centre
- European Space Operations Centre
  - ESTRACK network
- Guiana Space Centre
- Ariane launcher programme (1973–)
- Vega launcher programme (1998–)
- European Space Policy Institute
- Space Situational Awareness Programme
- Future Launchers Preparatory Programme
  - Intermediate eXperimental Vehicle
  - PRIDE
    - Space Rider
- ESA Television
- Mars and beyond

Horizon 2000 (1985–1995)	SOHO Cassini–Huygens Huygens Cluster Cluster II XMM-Newton Rosetta INTEGRAL Herschel Planck
Horizon 2000 Plus (1995–2015)	ISS programme Politics Gaia LISA Pathfinder BepiColombo
Cosmic Vision (2015–2025)	Solar Orbiter Euclid ARIEL EnVision CHEOPS JUICE ATHENA LISA Comet Interceptor SMILE

EU Space Programme

Western European Union Satellite Centre (1992–2002)
EU Satellite Centre (2002–)
EU/ESA Space Council
EU Commission DG Defence Industry and Space
- European GNSS Supervisory Authority (2004–2010)
- European GNSS Agency (2010–2021)
- EU Agency for the Space Programme (2021–)
Body of European Regulators for Electronic Communications
European Union Aviation Safety Agency
European Network of Civil Aviation Safety Investigation Authorities
European Defence Agency
Europe by Satellite

Other European
initiatives and bodies

Indian space policy

British
space programme

Creation of the British National Committee for Space Research (1958)
Start of the Ariel programme (1962)
Black Arrow launcher (1964–1971)
Creation of the British National Space Centre (1985)
Outer Space Act 1986
Project Juno (1991)
Space Innovation and Growth Team (2009–2010)
Creation of the UK Space Agency (2010)
Strategic Defence and Security Review 2015
Space Industry Act 2018
UK Global Navigation Satellite System (2018–2020)
2021 Integrated Review
- Defence in a Competitive Age

US space policy

Truman space policy	Operation Paperclip list of scientists Aerobee rocket program RAND Establishment of Cape Canaveral
Eisenhower space policy	WS-117L Project Vanguard Sputnik crisis Introduction to Outer Space 1958 NASA Act Space Act Agreement Cancellation of Man in Space Soonest Launch of Project Mercury Missile gap Launch of X-15 program
Kennedy space policy	Launch of the Mariner program Launch of the Gemini project Launch of the Apollo program "We choose to go to the Moon"
Johnson space policy	1967 Outer Space Treaty
Nixon space policy	Moon landing Extra-Terrestrial Exposure Law Launch of the Space Shuttle Program Skylab
Ford space policy	Apollo–Soyuz Launch of the Viking program
Carter space policy
Reagan space policy	Citizens' Advisory Council Strategy of Technology doctrine Strategic Defense Initiative Space Station Freedom proposal 1984 Space Act 1985 anti-satellite missile test Space Shuttle Challenger disaster Rogers Report Ride Report
George H. W. Bush space policy	Space Exploration Initiative 1990 Augustine Committee Hubble Space Telescope National Space Council
Clinton space policy	Faster, better, cheaper Gore–Chernomyrdin Commission ISS Shuttle–Mir program ISS programme Politics Launch of the Mars Exploration Program 1998 Space Act Decadal Planning Team Launch of the X-37 program
George W. Bush space policy	Aerospace Industry Commission 2002 National missile defense directive Space Shuttle Columbia disaster Vision for Space Exploration Aldridge Commission ESAS 2005 NASA Act Launch of the Constellation program Operation Burnt Frost
Obama space policy	2009 Augustine Committee Kennedy Space Center speech Cancellation of the Constellation program Launch of the Space Launch System program Redesign of the Orion program Flexible path Mars Exploration Joint Initiative 2010 NASA Act Title 51 Space Shuttle retirement Development of the Commercial Crew Program 2014 NASA Act 2015 Space Act
Trump space policy	Re-establishment of the National Space Council Creation of the Space Force Launch of the Artemis program Launch of the Lunar Gateway project Executive Order 13959
China exclusion policy of NASA International Traffic in Arms Regulations Full-spectrum dominance doctrine Budget of NASA House Committee on Space NESDIS Office of Space Commerce FCC FAA/AST NRO IEEE Aerospace and Electronic Systems Society Antennas & Propagation Society Broadcast Technology Society Geoscience and Remote Sensing Society Vehicular Technology Society

USSR and Russia

Soviet
space
program

Stalin	Operation Osoaviakhim (1946) list of scientists
Khrushchev	Sputnik program Sputnik crisis (1957) Vostok program (1960–1963) Fractional Orbital Bombardment System (1960–1982) Soviet crewed lunar programs (1961–1976) Voskhod program (1964–1966)
Brezhnev	Soyuz program (1967–) Interkosmos (1967–1991) Salyut program (1971–1986) Almaz (1973–1977) Buran program (1974–1993) Apollo–Soyuz (1975)
Gorbachev	Mir (1986–2001)

Roscosmos

Yeltsin	Gore–Chernomyrdin Commission ISS (1993–) Shuttle–Mir program ISS programme Politics
Medvedev	Medvedev modernisation programme 2010 Military doctrine
Putin	United Rocket and Space Corporation (2013–2015) 2014 Military doctrine 2015 Creation of Roscosmos Mars MARS-500 study ExoMars

Other policies

United Nations

Other intergovernmental
or inter-agency bodies

Space law

Partial Test Ban Treaty (1963)
Outer Space Treaty (1967)
Rescue Agreement (1968)
Space Liability Convention (1972)
US-USSR Cooperation Agreement (1972)
Satellite Convention (1974)
Registration Convention (1975)
Bogota Declaration (1976)
Moon Treaty (1979)
Prevention of an Arms Race in Outer Space (1981)
International Cospas-Sarsat Programme Agreement (1988)
International Space Station Intergovernmental Agreement (1998)
International Docking System Standard
International Charter 'Space and Major Disasters' (1999)
Cape Town Treaty, Space Assets protocol (2012)
Artemis Accords (2020)
Space jurisdiction
Common heritage of mankind
Extraterrestrial real estate
Astronomical naming conventions
ITU Radio Regulations
CCSDS standards
ODCWG standards
CEOS standards
COSPAR standards
- International Designator
- IPDA standards
GSC standards
GEO standards
ISECG standards
Various conventions, treaties, agreements, memorandums, charters or declarations establishing and governing intergovernmental organisations or inter-agency bodies dealing with space affairs

Commercial use

Militarisation

Space forces, units and formations	Space forces Australia Brazil Canada China Colombia France Germany Iran AJA IRGC Israel Japan Netherlands New Zealand North Korea Pakistan Russia Spain Thailand Turkey United Kingdom United States History Structure Vietnam Ranks and insignia Space commands France India Italy NATO NORAD United Kingdom United States
Space warfare	Space domain awareness Space weapon Anti-satellite weapon China India Russia United States Kinetic bombardment Kill vehicle Missile defense Military satellite Reconnaissance satellite Spaceplane Satellite jamming

Space advocacy

Public-sector space agencies

Africa

Pan-African and Pan-Arab	RASCOM Arabsat
National	ASAL EGSA NARSS ESSTI GSSTC NASRDA SANSA

Americas

North America	CSA NASA NESDIS OSC FAA/AST FCC USSF USSPACECOM NRO
Latin America and the Caribbean	ALCE AEM CONAE ABE AEB DCTA INPE ITA CCE ABAE IVIC

Asia

Pan-Asian	APSCO
Central Asia	KazCosmos¹ Roscosmos¹ SRI VK TNSA¹
East Asia	CNSA SASTIND CASC CALT CAST CCF CGWIC PLAASF CASIC JAXA ISAS JSS NICT NATA KASA KARI KASI SaTReC TASA
South Asia	SPARRSO ISRO ² Antrix Corp DoS NRSC DSA SUPARCO
Southeast Asia	LAPAN MYSA PhilSA SSTL GISTDA VNSC
Southwest Asia	ArmCosmos¹ MAKA¹ NSSA IRIAF NEHSA ISA ISRC ISA NCSR SSA KACST-SRI SSA² GORS TUA TÜBİTAK UZAY UAESA (MBRSC)

Europe

Pan-European	CEN/CENELEC CEPT ETSI Eurocontrol ECAC ESA ECSS ESRTC EAC ESRIN ECSAT ESAC ESOC ESTRACK Guiana Space Centre EUMETSAT EUTELSAT IGO ESO
EU and EEA	DG DEFIS EUSPA EU SatCen EASA BEREC ALR ² BelSPo BIRA-IASB SRTI² CSO² DTU Space ESO¹ CNES² AAE CdE DLR² HSC HSO² ASI LSA LSO¹ SRON NSO NSC POLSA² CBK PAN UKE KRRiT ORO ULC PTSPACE ROSA² INTA AEC EAE AEE SNSA
Other	ArmCosmos¹ MAKA¹ BSA¹ KazCosmos¹ Roscosmos¹ SRI VKO SSO TUA TÜBİTAK UZAY SSAU¹ UKSA ²