RIYADH — Saudi Arabia will launch a small satellite into orbit every two or three years under a 12-year space program devised by King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST), it was announced here on Sunday. Prince Turki Bin Saud Bin Mohammed, president of KACST, made the announcement during a speech at a ceremony to mark the 30th anniversary of the launch of the spaceship Discovery by NASA.
Prince Turki said KACST is scheduled to implement its satellite program starting from 2019 through 2020, in collaboration with a team composed of experts from NASA, the German Space Agency and Stanford University. Following the first two launches, the university will enter into its long-term program of developing MDSS small satellite systems.
He briefed the audience on efforts exerted by the Kingdom in space research over the last 30 years. — SG/SPA
