Saudi Satellite Shaheen Sat

The Saudi Satellite Shaheen Sat is a satellite designed for Earth imaging and ship tracking from low Earth orbits. It represents a new generation of small-sized satellites, weighing seventy-five kg, with an imaging resolution of 0.9 m and dimensions of 56 × 56 × 97 cm. King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST) in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia launched it into space in 2021.

KACST launched Shaheen Sat from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan aboard the Russian Soyuz-2 rocket. Shaheen Sat was manufactured and developed in a short period by a team of Saudi researchers from various engineering disciplines

Shaheen Sat consists of two payloads: a high-resolution imaging telescope and an automatic identification system for tracking maritime vessels. It performs several tasks, including supporting development goals in Saudi Arabia by providing satellite images for the public and private sectors, imaging the Earth, and tracking maritime vessels through the use of artificial intelligence and big data technologies.

Shaheen Sat was launched to achieve several objectives, including establishing leadership in the space sector at the regional and international levels, contributing to the development of space technologies and systems through national and international collaboration in research and development programs, localizing strategic technologies in line with Saudi Vision 2030, enabling Saudi youth to work with advanced technologies in satellite development and manufacturing, and increasing local content.

KACST was responsible for the development and launch of the Saudi satellite Shaheen Sat. Since 2000, the city has launched a total of seventeen satellites. These include Saudi Sat 1 and Saudi Sat 2 in 2000, Saudi Sat 1-C in 2002, Saudi Sat 2 in 2004, and Saudi Comsat 1 and 2 in 2004.

It also launched the Saudi Sat 3 satellite in 2007, the Saudi Comsat data transmission satellite system (Saudi Comsat 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7) in 2007, and the Saudi Sat 4 satellite in 2014 as part of the Chang'e 4 mission to explore the far side of the moon in 2018. Additionally, the city launched the Saudi Sat 5A and Saudi Sat 5B satellites in 2018, the Saudi Communications Satellite SGS-1 in 2019, and the Saudi satellite Shaheen Sat in 2021.

Saudi Arabia, represented by KACST, participated in conducting scientific experiments in space in collaboration with NASA and Stanford University aboard the Saudi Sat 4 satellite in 2014. Additionally, Saudi Arabia took part in the Chang'e 4 mission to explore the moon in cooperation with the China National Space Administration in 2018, aiming to study the far side of the moon.