JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia has called for greater international coordination on technical standards and radio spectrum management to boost satellite investment and global collaboration, during the 40th Space Symposium in Colorado.
The event, held from April 7 to 10, drew senior representatives from major industry players including SpaceX, Amazon’s Project Kuiper, and Iridium, as well as EchoStar, Lockheed Martin, and Boeing.
Saudi Arabia’s participation comes amid its push to position itself as a regional cloud and connectivity hub with strategic access to Europe, Asia, and Africa.
Speaking at a high-level panel hosted by the Kingdom’s Communications, Space and Technology Commission on April 8, CST Governor Mohammed bin Saud Al-Tamimi urged alignment on technical specifications to create “a stimulating investment environment in the space communications sector,” according to the Saudi Press Agency.
“He also highlighted its role in enhancing integration between local and international actors, enhancing market entry opportunities for all missions, and adopting technical systems that comply with specifications and standards, which will lead to reduced capital and operational costs,” SPA reported.
Al-Tamimi reaffirmed the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s steadfast commitment to supporting international efforts to advance the space and satellite communications sector.
He noted that the industry currently relies on a range of proprietary, non-standardized technologies, posing a challenge to seamless integration.
However, the CST governor emphasized that this also presents an opportunity to enhance interoperability, reduce manufacturing costs, and deliver improved services to end users.
The session reflects the commission’s continued efforts to advance the Kingdom’s global leadership in the field of satellite communications, in line with the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030 to harness modern technologies for economic and social development.
The Kingdom is home to the Middle East and North Africa’s largest and fastest-growing information and communications technology market, valued at over $40.9 billion and accounting for 4.1 percent of gross domestic product, according to the US International Trade Administration.
Positioned as a key technology services and cloud hub, the Kingdom benefits from strategic international connectivity via the Red Sea and the Gulf, offering the potential to serve European, Asian, and African markets.
The symposium is a global forum for space professionals across government, industry, and academia, including representatives from PwC, Neo Space Group, and SEAKR, as well as Leonardo and BAE Systems. It aims to address critical sector challenges and drive innovation.
The panel aimed to discuss the unification of technical standards in satellite communications, foster international cooperation, and provide an effective global platform for dialogue on the challenges and opportunities related to the expansion of these technologies, according to a press release from the CST.
Discussions centered on supporting innovation, building an integrated ecosystem to encourage investment and technological progress, and enhancing regulatory frameworks while aligning global perspectives.
On the sidelines of the Colorado conference, Al-Tamimi also held separate meetings with Lord David Willetts, chair of the UK Space Agency, and Janet Petro, acting administrator of NASA, to explore partnership opportunities in space exploration and advanced technologies.
