Five Countries Lead the Arab Space Race with Ambitious Strategies and Programmes

The UAE Leads in sovereign satellite manufacturing, Saudi Arabia participates in manned missions, and Egypt has announced the largest african space facility, the Egyptian Assembly, Integration and Testing Centre.

Through carefully planned steps, countries across the Middle East and North Africa have been exploring space since 1985. While the early efforts were modest against the backdrop of a rapidly evolving global scientific and technological landscape, recent years have witnessed a remarkable surge in Arab engagement within the space sector.

This rising momentum, fuelled by both national and joint initiatives, has led to the successful launch of new satellites, the production of valuable scientific research, the establishment of local manufacturing capabilities, the development of skilled talent, and the strengthening of international partnerships.

In recent years, several Arab nations have positioned themselves as pioneers in the space sector, through bold and forward-looking initiatives. These efforts reflect a growing commitment to building knowledge-based economies grounded in innovation and a clear ambition to shape a future driven by artificial intelligence. But which countries are leading this transformation — and how have they managed to achieve such remarkable progress in space exploration?

Anyone who closely follows space news will notice that five countries are spearheading the Arab world’s journey into space, driving progress through ambitious satellite programs, advanced manufacturing hubs, and international partnerships designed to localise knowledge and strengthen national capabilities.

The UAE: The Arab Pioneer

The UAE has firmly established itself as the trailblazer in space exploration in the Arab world, as stated in an official report published by the NASA Office of Inspector General on January 17, 2023.

Emirates has built its leadership on four key pillars. First, its institutions and strategies: the UAE Space Agency was established in 2014 as the first Arab space agency, and in 2021, it launched the National Space Strategy 2031, aiming to make the UAE one of the world’s top 10 space nations by 2031.

In 2015, the Emirates Institution for Advanced Science and Technology (established in 2006) was renamed the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC), with expanded responsibilities including satellite development, leading the UAE Astronaut Program, executing the Hope Probe to Mars, and overseeing future projects.

Second, the UAE Astronaut Programme launched in 2017 as the first of its kind in the Arab world in terms of organisation, continuity, and ambition, aims to train and prepare Emirati astronauts. Among its graduates are Hazzaa AlMansoori, the first Emirati and Arab astronaut to participate in a scientific mission to the International Space Station, and Sultan AlNeyadi, the first Arab astronaut to spend six consecutive months in space and perform a spacewalk in 2023.

Third, the UAE has distinguished itself with its space projects and missions, including the Hope Probe—the first Arab mission to Mars, which successfully entered orbit in 2021. There is also the Rashid-1 mission, the first Arab lunar rover launched in 2022; despite the landing failure, the experience was pioneering. Work is underway on Rashid-2 in cooperation with Japan to attempt a safe lunar landing for scientific studies and data collection. The UAE is also set to participate in a mission to launch a spacecraft to the main asteroid belt between 2028 and 2034. Additionally, the UAE is preparing to launch the Arab Satellite 813 in the last quarter of this year.

The country has reached an advanced regional level and is capable of designing and assembling advanced civil and commercial satellites. However, it does not yet manufacture sensitive space components like the United States, France, or Japan, which possess “full sovereign space manufacturing capabilities.” Thus, the UAE has reached the second level of manufacturing sovereignty in satellite production, which includes three levels: first, full sovereignty (designing and producing all sensitive components locally); second, advanced sovereignty (designing, assembling, and testing satellites locally while importing some sensitive components); and third, limited sovereignty (relying on external partners for design and manufacturing, with only basic assembly or operation locally).

The UAE has also expanded cooperation with the United States, France, Japan, and South Korea.

Saudi Arabia: History and Experience

Saudi Arabia has a long history and expertise in space, being the first Arab country to launch a satellite in 1985 as part of the Arabsat project. (As indicated by the document Saudi Arabia’s contribution submitted to the international Panel of the United Nations Commission on Science and Technology for Development, during the session held in Geneva, Switzerland, on 7-8 November 2019)

This followed the establishment of the National Centre for Science and Technology in 1977, which was renamed King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST) in 1985, with expanded authority as an independent scientific institution supporting research, technology development, and national space programmes. In 2018, the Saudi Space Commission was established.

Second, Saudi Arabia has a clear future strategy for localising the space industry, launching the National Space Strategy in 2023 as part of Vision 2030 to develop an integrated space industry covering technology, education, and commercial investment.

Additionally, Saudi Arabia has partial local development and design capabilities in cooperation with international partners. KACST has experience in designing small and medium satellites with international partners; satellites such as SaudiSat 5A and 5B were partially designed and built in the Kingdom, making Saudi Arabia one of the few Arab countries to develop satellites locally. The level of space manufacturing in Saudi Arabia is considered partially advanced, and the Kingdom currently owns and operates a fleet of communication satellites.

Regarding astronauts, Prince Sultan bin Salman bin Abdulaziz was the first Arab and Muslim astronaut, launching in 1985 aboard the American Space Shuttle Discovery. He inspired many and contributed to the establishment of the Saudi Space Commission, becoming its first president. In 2023, Saudi Arabia launched its National Astronaut Program and became the first Arab country to send a man and a woman to space, Rayyanah Barnawi and Ali AlQarni, who participated together in the Axiom Mission (Ax-2), spending 10 days in orbit on the International Space Station.

Finally, Saudi Arabia has established partnerships with NASA, Axiom Space , and Lockheed Martin to develop space research projects and is investing in space data and its commercial applications in agriculture, artificial intelligence, and climate.

In 2023, it was announced that the first national satellite factory is under development in partnership with a Chinese company, with investments exceeding one billion Saudi Riyals, a step that confirms the Kingdom’s move from usage to production. Saudi Arabia is also participating in the Artemis II project with NASA to develop a satellite for monitoring “space weather,” reflecting its ambition to be present on the global scientific stage.

Egypt: An African Hub

It can be said that the Arab Republic of Egypt is one of the Arab countries with ambitious space programmes, as evidenced by several indicators. Chief among these is the presence of a modern national space agency, the Egyptian Space Agency, established in 2018 (the administrative and regulatory authority for space in Egypt). Thanks to this agency, Cairo has become the scientific hub for space in Africa, as it hosts the headquarters of the African Space Agency , which is affiliated with the African Union, within the Egyptian Space City in Cairo. (As the African Space Agency explains on its website)

In 1973, Egypt also established the National Authority for Remote Sensing and Space Sciences, a technical body specialising in manufacturing and space research. As a result, Cairo has gained experience in launching remote sensing satellites, such as EgyptSat 1, which was launched in 2007. The country is also working on localising space technology and domestic manufacturing, including producing the majority of the EgyptSat 2 and MisrSat 2 satellites in Egypt, in cooperation with international partners.

Egypt has launched several satellites since 2007, including EgyptSat and TibaSat-1, and is now preparing to manufacture small CubeSats in collaboration with local universities.

It has also announced the establishment of the Satellite Assembly, Integration, and Test Centre (AITC), the largest centre of its kind in the Middle East and Africa, located in the New Administrative Capital, in partnership with China.

Furthermore, Cairo is supporting the private space sector through Aqmaar Space Industries, as part of a policy aimed at making Egypt a hub for space manufacturing on the continent.

Morocco: Building Capabilities

Morocco is among the Arab countries striving to make significant progress in the field of space, and is also considered one of the leading African nations in space development (according to a recent report by the Africa Centre for Strategic Studies).

The country boasts a robust institutional and technical infrastructure, having established the Royal Centre for Remote Sensing in 1989.

The centre is considered Morocco’s main space agency; however, press sources have reported Moroccan efforts to establish an official Moroccan Space Agency.

Moroccan universities and research centres are actively involved in the development of nano satellites.

However Morocco does not yet possess a domestic space manufacturing industry, and it relies on international cooperation for the manufacturing and launch of satellites. The focus remains on developing specialised human resources and advancing the analysis of space data, with plans to establish a national space centre in the coming years.

In line with these efforts, Rabat has launched national remote sensing satellites, including Mohammed VI-A (2017) and Mohammed VI-B (2018), to strengthen its sovereign capabilities in remote sensing and space monitoring. These satellites provide high-resolution imagery utilised in security, urban planning, and natural resource management.

Furthermore, in 2024, Morocco launched two university nano satellites, UM5-EOSat and UM5-Ribat, into Earth orbit. These initiatives aim to train Moroccan engineers and researchers in small-scale space technologies and to collect data for remote sensing and climate monitoring.

In a related context, Morocco has witnessed various initiatives and efforts to develop the space sector, including the Moroccan Initiative for Space Industry (MISI), a non-governmental organisation launched in 2021 to promote and develop the space sector by building a dynamic and innovative ecosystem for the space industry in Morocco.

Since its establishment, the initiative has organised several events, including the Africa and Middle East Space Conference in Rabat in February 2025, which brought together experts and stakeholders from 30 countries. The conference was viewed as a platform for knowledge exchange, fostering strategic partnerships, and contributing to the shaping of the future of the space sector in the region.

Algeria: Renewed Ambition

Algeria is considered one of the first Arab countries to establish a national space agency, having founded the Algerian Space Agency in 2002. It also has a centre for satellite design and a testing facility. Algeria launched the AlSat series of satellites, dedicated to remote sensing and communications, as well as the geostationary satellite Alcomsat-1, which provides broadcasting, internet, emergency communications, and navigation system support. These launches took place between 2002 and 2017, in cooperation with international partners.

Currently, Algeria is developing a new generation of satellites, including ALSAT-3, with enhanced local manufacturing capabilities. Additionally, it aims to expand its space-based navigation system (AL-SBAS) as part of a long-term plan focused on technology transfer and the development of national expertise.

Previously, an ambitious national space programme was announced in Algeria, spanning from 2020 to 2040, with the goal of leveraging space technology for development.

In August 2025, Algeria signed a space cooperation agreement with Slovenia, adding to its portfolio of space partnerships with countries such as France, China, Italy, the United Kingdom, and Russia. In October 2025, Algeria inaugurated a regional directorate for space communications in the city of Constantine.

While these are not the only Arab countries engaged in space exploration, the efforts of the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Morocco, and Algeria represent tangible progress in this field. Collectively, they have helped move the Arab world from simply owning satellites to designing and assembling them, albeit to varying degrees, while aspiring to achieve full sovereign space manufacturing capabilities, enter an era of space self-sufficiency, and potentially compete globally in a market valued at over $600 billion annually.