Vision

Over the next five years the Saudi Space and Aeronautics Program, with the strategic support of key stakeholders, will become a regional leader in space and aeronautical activities, not limited to research and development, and will support the needs of national security and sustainable development within the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in these disciplines.

 

Mission

The mission of the Space and Aeronautics Program is to enhance the position of the Kingdom in space and aeronautics technologies and systems through a nationally and internationally collaborative program of research, development and technology transfer.
The vision and mission shall be achieved by:

• Developing capabilities in sectors in which the stakeholders have existing expertise.
• Broadening capabilities by moving into sectors where the stakeholders have little or no current involvement but which support the vision.
• Implementing a number of challenging projects and initiatives specifically chosen to achieve the vision including:

1. Raising stakeholder profiles nationally, regionally and internationally.
2. Allowing stakeholders to join and become active in regional and global forums.
3. Promoting international collaboration with companies and universities.
4. Focusing R & D and developing products and IP.
5. Stimulating sustainable industrial expansion.

• Promoting and encouraging an expansion of space and aeronautical related education and training.
• Expanding the range of existing private and joint venture companies and stimulating new ones.
• Promoting wider use of space and aeronautical applications within government, industry and the general public.
• Establishing aeronautical or aerospace research groups at the local universities to support the plan and to encourage an increase in the number and quality of graduates in relevant disciplines.

 

Strategic Goals

Eleven strategic objectives have been derived by SRI and the stakeholders and are defined in this section:
There are seven high priority objectives, each of equal priority and considered essential to achieving the vision statement. Four medium priority objectives, each of equal priority, are considered important to achieving the vision statement. For each objective a rationale is provided together with policies, projects and initiatives to be considered as part of the implementation.

• To design and develop advanced space and aeronautical platforms for research and commercialization.
• To become the leading provider of numerical simulation services for aerospace objectives within the region.
• To enhance significantly the Geographical Information System capabilities for both national & regional development.
• To implement an optimized, responsive and advanced civilian Earth Observation satellite system to provide key data for the region.
• To develop into the leading service provider of commercial Earth Observation products within the region.
• To create a thriving commercial space and aeronautical sector within KSA capable of executing advanced technology programs.
• To research and develop specific advanced enabling technologies in order to develop IPR for longer term international collaboration, commercial exploitation or to support stakeholder strategic programs.
• To become a participant in international or regional space and aeronautic science missions.
• To exploit the downstream opportunities opened up by the introduction of aerospace systems by other aerospace organizations in Europe and the United States.
• To raise the level of aerospace higher education and training programs within the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) and to expand interest and resources in the space and aeronautical sectors.
• To promote the wider national use of space and aeronautical projects and services within government, industry, and the general public.

 

Track

• Earth Observation

1. Hydrocarbon seepage OR oil slicks
2. Pipeline zone integrity monitoring
3. Hazard area identification OR damage assessment
4. Food security
5. Forest OR scrubland AND fires
6. Earthquake (prediction OR damage assessment)
7. Desert locusts
8. Desertification
9. Plant diversity mapping
10. Soil degradation
11. Coastal zone degradation
12. Coral reef monitoring
13. Coastal lagoon monitoring
14. Effluent mapping
15. Crop inventory and production forecasting
16. Water management and irrigation scheduling
17. Precision farming
18. Pastureland management
19. Mineral exploration
20. Monitoring urban development

• Geographic Information System

1. Ortho-rectified satellite image AND (GIS)
2. 3D visualization AND (GIS)
3. Land cover change detection AND (GIS)

• Advanced Space & Aeronautical Platforms

1. Electro optic payload
2. Fully autonomous flight control system
3. Solar UAV

• Numerical Simulation

1. Structural analyses
2. Thermal analyses
3. Mission OR orbit AND analyses
4. Aerodynamics (simulation or modeling)
5. Thermodynamics (simulation or modeling)
6. Radiation analysis
7. EMC/ESD analysis
8. Fault free control AND analysis OR algorithms

• Enabling Technologies

1. Interferometry
2. Reflectometry
3. Satellite formation
4. LIDAR
5. Satellite wireless data
6. Space ISL
7. Electric propulsion
8. Laser ranging satellites
9. Space robotics
10. Deep drilling (lunar OR asteroid)

 

 

Email:spa.npst@ksu.edu.sa

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