18 January 2024
π Kicking off 2024 in Riyadh! πΈπ¦
What a way to start the year! Visiting the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has been nothing short of inspiring. The Kingdomβs commitment to space and technology, under their Saudi Vision 2030 program, has taught me so much about what it means to build a space ecosystem.
Last year’s transformation of the Saudi Space Authority into a fully-fledged agency marked a monumental stride in the Kingdom’s journey towards enhancing its space capabilities. This significant development is perfectly aligned with Saudi Arabia’s ambitious vision for space exploration and their role in the global space ecosystem.
But what stands out is the way Saudi Arabia’s space aspirations are backed by substantial investment, including a groundbreaking $2 billion commitment to elevate their space program by 2030. It’s not just about lofty ambitions; it’s about concrete actions and financial dedication to make these dreams a reality.
The other thing that struck me is the ΩΩΨ§ΩΨ© Ψ§ΩΩΨΆΨ§Ψ‘ Ψ§ΩΨ³ΨΉΩΨ―ΩΨ© | Saudi Space Agencyβs clear focus on designing missions that support the key challenges and areas of opportunity within the Kingdom. The end user is consistently held front and centre in all their workings – the opposite of the outdated βbuild it and they will comeβ mentality. It is true space for Earth in action! π
Thank you to all our incredible hosts who showed us the meaning of Saudi hospitality!
Abdullah Altaleb ΨΉΨ¨Ψ―Ψ§ΩΩΩ Ψ§ΩΨ·Ψ§ΩΨ¨, Faisal Suliman Alothaim, Frank Salzgeber, Khalid Manjoo, Lee Annamalai and Ghanim A..
From connecting to new customers at the Future Minerals Forum, to building bridges with Todd Miller and Abd Hakmi at Austrade Middle East, Africa and Pakistan | Australian Trade and Investment Commission it was a big week! Sitting back in Australia now though I feel excited about opportunities that exist for QL Space and the potential growth that exists in the space industry. I canβt wait for my next trip back!