In an unprecedented scientific and historic achievement that elevates Saudi Arabia’s standing on the global space map, Riyadh confirmed on Saturday the successful deployment of its new “Shams” satellite and the establishment of initial communication with high efficiency. The satellite was carried aboard the Space Launch System (SLS), NASA’s most powerful rocket, as part of the historic “Artemis 2” mission. With this extraordinary milestone, Saudi Arabia becomes the very first Arab country to actively participate in a scientific mission under NASA’s Artemis space program, which aims to return humans to the Moon and explore deep space.
Local development and successful launch
Representing a major source of pride for Saudi national industry, the “Shams” satellite—a CubeSat class spacecraft—was entirely developed and built by young, creative Saudi scientific and engineering teams within the Kingdom. The satellite launch was completely successful after the Orion crew capsule separated from the Space Launch System rocket and began its precisely targeted trajectory toward the Moon.
Following this separation, “Shams” was released to begin its independent scientific mission. The Saudi Space Agency officially stated that it successfully captured initial communication signals from the satellite and verified the operational health of all its systems. The agency noted that the satellite is now operating stably in a highly elliptical orbit, with distances ranging from approximately 500 kilometers at its closest point to about 70,000 kilometers at its furthest point, providing a wide and deep range for collecting precise space data.
Precise scientific mission for space weather research
The “Shams” satellite was carefully designed and equipped with cutting-edge sensors to perform advanced scientific missions primarily focused on space weather research. These vital missions include monitoring and analyzing space radiation, studying solar X-rays, measuring and analyzing Earth’s magnetic field, and tracking high-energy solar particles constantly emitted by the Sun.
The wide orbital range in which the satellite orbits enables extended and comprehensive monitoring of solar and radiation activity. The valuable and unique data collected by the satellite aims to improve human understanding of space weather fluctuations and their direct impacts on Earth. Solar storms and charged particles are known to disrupt advanced communication systems, threaten aviation safety, and affect the stability of global navigation systems relied upon by the modern world across various sectors.
Vision 2030 and localizing the space industry
In this significant context, Dr. Mohammed bin Saud Al-Tamimi, acting CEO of the Saudi Space Agency, stated that this pioneering mission clearly reflects the Kingdom’s continued strategic investment in building and developing national capabilities and enhancing active, influential participation in major international space initiatives.
The “Shams” satellite was developed inside Saudi Arabia under the umbrella of the National Industrial Development and Logistics Program, which serves as a key pillar of the Vision 2030 strategy. This ambitious vision aims to diversify the national economy, transfer advanced technology, and localize precision industries—including the rapidly growing and highly competitive global space sector—placing the Kingdom among the advanced nations in this field.
From the Artemis Accords to the lunar journey
Saudi Arabia’s prominent participation in this space mission is the culmination of consistent strategic steps taken by the Kingdom, beginning with its signing of the Artemis Accords in 2022, international agreements aimed at promoting peaceful and sustainable space exploration in cooperation with the international community.
This was followed by an agreement focused on developing and launching a cube satellite, officially announced in May 2025 during the historic visit of U.S. President Donald Trump to Riyadh. During that pivotal visit, President Trump and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman unveiled the joint arrangement that enabled an advanced Saudi scientific payload to fly into deep space aboard the “Artemis 2” mission.
Details of the historic Artemis 2 mission
The “Artemis 2” mission launched on April 1 from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The mission carries experienced astronauts: NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, alongside Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen.
This crewed journey lasts approximately 10 days, during which the crew will fly around the Moon and return safely to Earth. It marks the first mission of its kind to travel this distance with a human crew since the historic “Apollo 17” mission in 1972. While the crew continues its scientific and historic trajectory toward the Moon aboard the Orion capsule, the Saudi “Shams” satellite began its independent scientific mission in an orbit closer to Earth, a step described by the Saudi Space Agency as a monumental leap toward strengthening Saudi Arabia’s role in global space efforts and harnessing space research for the benefit of all humanity.
Frequently asked questions
The Shams satellite is a CubeSat fully developed and produced by Saudi Arabia, primarily aimed at studying space weather, space radiation, and Earth’s magnetic field to understand their profound impacts on navigation systems, communications, and aviation safety.
The historic space mission launched on April 1 from the Kennedy Space Center and includes four astronauts: Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch from NASA, along with Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen.
The mission supports Vision 2030 by transferring and localizing advanced space technology within the Kingdom, as the satellite was built under initiatives of the National Industrial Development and Logistics Program, helping enhance the capabilities of Saudi talent in the global space sector.
