Saudi teams up with US firm for satellite tech

The deal with DigitalGlobe, the American company gives Saudi Arabia a stake in the expanding market for remote sensing and satellite technology. A joint statement on the agreement said state-backed King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology, or KACST, would build, integrate and launch six or more small satellites that will be able to collect imagery with a resolution of 80 cm. KACST will own 50 percent of the imaging capacity within Saudi Arabia and the surrounding region, while DigitalGlobe will have the rights to the other 50 per cent of that capacity, and 100 per cent of the capacity outside that region, it said. 

Once operational, the small satellites would be able to identify changes in critical areas of the Earth since they pass them more frequently, allowing DigitalGlobe to cue its higher-end satellites to zoom in and capture more details. 

TAQNIA Space Co, a subsidiary of the Saudi Technology Investment and Development Co, will be responsible for marketing the 50 per cent capacity within the Middle East region, while DigitalGlobe will market the remaining half, and 100 per cent of the capacity outside the region, according to the statement.