Saudi Arabia & Egypt to Develop First Joint Satellite

The Saudi Cabinet has approved an initiative to design and build the first joint Saudi-Egyptian satellite, marking a new step in cooperation between the Saudi Space Agency and the Egyptian Space Agency.

The two agencies are collaborating on peaceful space exploration and satellite technologies across multiple stages of development and operation.

According to the framework of cooperation, joint efforts will focus on satellite manufacturing, operations, imaging and commercialisation, with particular emphasis placed on remote sensing and Earth observation technologies.

The partnership between the two agencies was formalised through a memorandum of understanding signed in December 2023, aimed at promoting peaceful space activities and facilitating the exchange of technical expertise.

The satellite project builds on broader efforts by both countries to expand their capabilities in the space sector. In recent years, Egypt has advanced its sovereign space programme with launches including MisrSat 2 and SPNEX, a scientific laboratory satellite designed to measure ionospheric plasma.