Saudi Space Agency announces launch of two satellites designed by Saudi students

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Updated 30 November 2025
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Saudi Space Agency announces launch of two satellites designed by Saudi students

  • Undergraduates from Umm Al-Qura University and Prince Sultan University designed the satellites as part of a competition

RIYADH: Two satellites designed by Saudi students have been launched successfully on an international space mission, the Saudi Space Agency announced on Saturday.

In a statement carried by the Saudi Press Agency, the space agency said the satellites were designed by students from Umm Al-Qura University and Prince Sultan University as part of the SARI competition for building and designing small satellites.

Launched in December 2024, the competition was for undergraduate students from universities across the Kingdom.

There were 480 entries from 42 universities of which only two were selected.

The competition aimed to provide students with practical experience in satellite design, construction, and operation, while developing their skills in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, the space agency said.

Interest in space science has gained momentum in the Kingdom since Saudi astronauts Rayyanah Barnawi and Ali Al-Qarni took part in the Axiom Mission 2 that travelled to the International Space Station in May 2023.

Together with astronaut Peggy Whitson and business pioneer and pilot John Shoffner, Barnawi and Al-Qarni

traveled on the SpaceX Dragon capsule to the ISS, where they were welcomed by the seven astronauts already on board, including an Emirati.

More than three decades ago, Prince Sultan bin Salman Al Saud made history by becoming the first Arab in space when he flew on the STS-51G mission aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery in June 1985.


Saudi Arabia, UAE and allies condemn Gaza ceasefire violations

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Saudi Arabia, UAE and allies condemn Gaza ceasefire violations

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia on Sunday led renewed regional condemnation of Israel’s repeated violations of the ceasefire in Gaza, which have resulted in the killing and wounding of more than 1,000 Palestinians.

In a joint statement, the foreign ministers of the Kingdom, the UAE, Indonesia, Pakistan and Turkiye said the breaches represented a dangerous escalation that risked inflaming tensions and undermining efforts to restore calm and stability, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

They joined Qatar, Jordan and Egypt, who on Saturday condemned what they described as ongoing ceasefire violations and warned they threatened de-escalation efforts and regional stability.

The ministers said the latest developments come at a critical moment, as regional and international efforts intensify to advance the second phase of the peace plan proposed by US President Donald Trump and implement UN Security Council Resolution 2803, SPA added.

They warned that the repeated violations pose a direct threat to the political process and could derail attempts to create the conditions for a more stable phase in Gaza, both in security and humanitarian terms. They stressed the need for full adherence to the ceasefire to ensure the success of the next phase of the peace plan.

The statement called on all parties to assume their responsibilities during this sensitive period, exercise maximum restraint, sustain the ceasefire, and avoid any actions that could undermine current diplomatic efforts. It also urged steps to facilitate early recovery and reconstruction in the Gaza Strip.

Reaffirming their commitment to a just, comprehensive and lasting peace, the ministers said this must be based on the Palestinian people’s inalienable right to self-determination and the establishment of an independent state, in line with international law, relevant UN Security Council resolutions and the Arab Peace Initiative.