Two Saudi satellites are all set to be launched on Sunday, announced Prince Sultan Bin Salman, the chairman of the Board of Directors of the Saudi Space Commission (SSC). The launch was scheduled for Saturday and got postponed to Sunday due to some technical issues, quoting the Russian space agency Roscosmos.
The satellites, named Shaheen Sat and Cube Sat were developed by scientists at the King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST) and King Saud University.
Shaheen Sat is the 17th satellite with the purpose of focusing on space photography and tracking of marine vessels while the second is the educational satellite (CubeSat).
Shaheen Sat will be the 17th satellite launched by KACST and will be used for space photography and tracking of submarines. CubeSat, the second satellite developed by King Saud University, will be used for educational purposes.
The one-kg CubeSat is built in a cube-sized shape with 10cm length, width and height each, making the King Saud University is the first Saudi university to launch a cube satellite. It also has a ground station that can communicate with small and large satellites and the International Space Station.
The Russian Soyuz-2.la rocket will carry 38 satellites from 18 countries, including Saudi Arabia,Germany, Italy, Brazil, South Korea, Japan and Canada.
Prince Sultan bin Salman appreciated the efforts of the engineers and scientists, adding that Saudi Arabia deserves to remain a leader in all matters, including space operations.