On the sidelines of the 54th edition of Paris Air Show which took place last week (19-25 June), Chairman of the Board of Directors of Saudi Space Agency (SSA) Eng. Abdullah Al-Swaha (photo) met with President of the French National Center for Space Studies (CNES) Dr. Philippe Baptiste and with Chairman and CEO of the French company Thales Eng. Patrice Caine.
The meetings addressed ways of strengthening the strategic partnership between SSA, research centers, and international space companies, as well as ways to support cooperation mechanisms in the fields of space and innovation, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported.
Al-Swaha and Baptiste discussed the scope of cooperation between the CNES and the SSA, as well as ways to increase sustainable development efforts through space activities held by the two sides, while with Caine, talks focused on the growth of the Saudi space sector and cooperation in transferring and developing human capabilities and investment opportunities between the SSA and Thales.
For his part, Vice Chairman of the Saudi Space Agency (SSA) Dr. Mohammed Saud Al-Tamimi held a meeting with the Head of Aerospace at Airbus, Dr. Jean-Marc Nasr, to discuss ways of enhancing cooperation in the field of space and its future sectors.
Al-Tamimi and Nasr discussed opportunities for cooperation to develop the space sector and investment in future joint projects in the sector, to achieve common goals in the economic and strategic fields in the domain of space and its technologies.
Saudi Arabia has witnessed a rapid development in this field, and very recently, two Saudi astronauts, Rayana Barnawi, the first Arab and Muslim female astronaut, and Ali Al-Qarni, went on a mission to the International Space Station (ISS).
The Saudi Space Agency’s objectives align with the Kingdom’s aspirations for a more advanced quality of life, as they align with its vision to create better and safer environments for its citizens while creating new opportunities for more profitable innovations that support the Saudi economy.
The Saudi Space Agency’s strategy requires determining a set of primary goals that focus on space science and exploratory missions, creating new opportunities in the sector, and empowering national cadres to achieve growth and progress in a way that serves the country and humanity.
