The Saudi Space Agency has announced the successful launch and initial communication with its satellite Shams, which was deployed aboard the Space Launch System as part of the Artemis II mission.
According to the Saudi Press Agency, the achievement marks Saudi Arabia as the first Arab nation to take part in a mission under the broader Artemis programme, an international initiative aimed at advancing scientific innovation and strengthening global partnerships to shape the future of space exploration.
Artemis II, led by the NASA in collaboration with international partners, represents the programme’s second phase. The mission is designed to return humans to the vicinity of the Moon for the first time in more than 50 years, laying the groundwork for future crewed missions to Mars. It carries four astronauts on the first crewed lunar flyby aboard the Orion spacecraft, powered by the Space Launch System, currently the most powerful rocket ever developed.
As part of its scientific payload, the mission includes the Saudi-built Shams satellite, which will operate in a highly elliptical orbit ranging from approximately 500 km to 70,000 km above Earth. This orbit allows for extensive monitoring of solar and radiation activity, contributing to space weather research and enabling a more advanced scientific environment.
The Shams satellite represents multiple firsts for the Kingdom, being both the first Arab payload within the Artemis programme and the country’s first mission dedicated to space weather monitoring. Developed domestically by Saudi engineers, the project was supported by initiatives under the National Industrial Development and Logistics Programme, a key pillar of Saudi Vision 2030.
The satellite will focus on studying space weather through four main scientific areas: space radiation, solar X-rays, Earth’s magnetic field, and high-energy solar particles. The data gathered is expected to improve the reliability and sustainability of critical sectors such as communications, aviation, and navigation, while enhancing global technical infrastructure and operational readiness.
Commenting on the milestone, Acting CEO of the Saudi Space Agency Mohammed bin Saud Al-Tamimi said the achievement highlights the Kingdom’s scientific and technological progress under Vision 2030 and reinforces its growing role in advancing space technologies.
Meanwhile, Jameel bin Ahmed Al-Ghamdi, CEO of the National Industrial Development and Logistics Program, noted that the domestic development of the Shams satellite demonstrates the programme’s success in localising advanced technologies and strengthening national industrial capabilities.
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