Saudi space economy projected to reach $31.6 billion by 2035
Saudi Arabia’s space economy is projected to nearly quadruple to $31.6 billion by 2035 as the kingdom invests in satellites and digital technologies.
Key areas of satellite use will be climate monitoring, agriculture, water management and disaster response, according to a report by the Communications, Space and Technology Commission and the International Telecommunication Union.
The expansion is part of a broader push to develop digital infrastructure and space-based services while using technology to address environmental challenges, Arab News reports.
“Saudi Arabia is committed to unlocking the full potential of artificial intelligence and digital innovation as powerful enablers of sustainable development,” Abdullah Al-Swaha, Minister of Communications and Information Technology, said in the report.
U.S. expands UAE access to chips, satellites, military technology
The U.S. just made it much easier for the UAE to buy America’s most advanced technology, including Nvidia AI chips, military equipment and commercial satellites.
The new rules eliminate export license requirements for the UAE government and approved companies, including G42, Core42 and MGX, as well as U.S. firms operating in the emirates such as Amazon, Apple, Google, Meta, Microsoft, OpenAI, Oracle and xAI.
U.S. officials said the move announced on Friday reflects the UAE’s growing strategic importance, citing its cooperation against Iran and its proxies and more than $1 trillion of UAE investment in the United States.
The Commerce Department also placed the UAE in a preferred export-control category that grants broader access to military and dual-use technology, making it the only country in the group that is outside the major multilateral export-control regimes.
The decision locks in a framework announced last year, expands access to technology used in oil, gas and civil nuclear projects, and signals Washington’s intention to deepen its technology partnership with the UAE.
UAE to use satellites and AI to avert maritime troubles
The UAE is aiming to use its advances in space to prevent chaos at sea.
Launching its new Satgate project, the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure said it will employ satellites and artificial intelligence to locate ships, monitor sea conditions and forecast the weather, according to a statement issued today.
In collaboration with the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre in Dubai, the project will also develop a database of ships that call at UAE ports and help maintain the security of maritime facilities and coasts by tracing the location of ships that are not connected to tracking devices.
At a time when oil tankers and cargo vessels are being attacked in both the Red Sea and the Gulf, the satellite project has the potential to make commercial sea traffic in the region more secure and financially competitive.
“Improving our tracking systems using advanced technology will enhance maritime transport and mitigate risks,” Minister of Energy and Infrastructure Suhail Mohamed Al Mazrouei said in the statement.
