Today's Edition
KIRSTIN BERNABE (ABU DHABI)
Space exploration is an ambition long shared across the Arab world, and Kuwait has been cultivating its stake in the sector for decades. From setting up the Middle East’s first ground satellite station to joining the UN Committee on outer space use and launching its own satellite, the country has laid the foundations for national capability and set its sights on the stars.
As Kuwait’s space industry gains firmer footing, it forges international partnerships to accelerate progress. Collaboration with the UAE is a natural step, anchored in brotherhood and a shared vision for regional leadership in space.
The UAE and Kuwait have been working towards advancing technologies, boosting expertise, and catalysing growth in space-related fields. In 2025, cooperation gained momentum as the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) and the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences (KFAS) signed a memorandum of understanding
The agreement lays the foundation for joint research and scientific projects, with a wider aim of building an Arab space ecosystem. Knowledge exchange, human capital development, and long-term scientific cooperation are among the key priorities.
The MBRSC earlier said its visit to Kuwait in December 2025 was a “strategic step towards strengthening joint Arab efforts in the space sector”.
The partnership seeks to advance joint initiatives and enhance the competitiveness of the regional sector — from satellite development and applied research to remote sensing capabilities and space exploration.
Through this cooperation, the MBRSC also aims to support Kuwait’s ambition to establish a strong scientific and research base capable of leading regional initiatives. Workshops, seminars, and training programmes shall be held, alongside collaborative scientific and technical projects.
For KFAS, collaboration with the MBRSC reinforces Kuwait’s efforts to expand its presence in the sector. It also complements the strategic move to establish the Kuwait National Centre for Space Research, a national platform designed to coordinate initiatives, expand research capacity, and prepare young Kuwaiti talent for advanced education and research in satellite science, space missions, and training programmes.
Decades of Work in the Space Sector
Kuwait’s engagement in the field spans more than six decades, providing a solid foundation for its international partnerships.
Its foray into the sector began in the 1960s, actively taking part in global initiatives. It participated in the International Telecommunication Union’s administrative conference in 1963 and joined the INTELSAT consortium at the International Telecommunications Satellite Organisation in 1965.
It was also Kuwait that established the first ground satellite station in the Middle East and North Africa. Located 71km north of Kuwait city, the Um Al-Aish station was set up in 1969, representing a milestone in communications.
Demonstrating its commitment to global space alliances, the country signed the Outer Space Treaty and related conventions in the ‘70s. In 1976, it joined the Arab Satellite Communications Organisation (ARABSAT), strengthening regional ties in space technology.
Kuwait was among the first countries to join the Arab Space Cooperation Group, a 14-member body established in 2019 to promote regional collaboration in the sector. It includes the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Oman, Jordan, Algeria, Tunisia, Sudan, Egypt, Lebanon, Morocco, Iraq and Mauritania.
Kuwait was also a signatory of the UN Moon Treaty and officially became a member of the UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space in 2021, cementing its role in space governance.
A turning point in the Kuwaiti space industry came when Kuwait-SAT 1 lifted off in 2023, launching with it the aspirations of the country’s youth. Kuwait-SAT 1 was, in fact, a landmark project initiated by students.
It stemmed from a 2019 Cubesat Capacity Building Project aimed at training young professionals in building nanosatellites. The initiative was led by Kuwait University and funded by the KFAS.
With an onboard camera offering a 39-metre resolution, Kuwait-SAT 1 captures images of the country for scientific research.
The satellite’s historic launch in January 2023 commemorated the 60th anniversary of the country’s space activities, strengthening its resolve to advance long-term space ambitions. Another CubeSat is already in the works at Kuwait University, according to a primer by the Kuwait Direct Investment Promotion Authority.
An inspired generation is ready to carry Kuwait’s space dream from the ground to orbit and beyond the stars. And the UAE’s journey into the cosmos has served as a source of motivation.
In 2025, Dr Sultan Al Neyadi, Minister of State for Youth Affairs - and the first Arab astronaut to perform a spacewalk - addressed a crowd of youth, researchers and enthusiasts at the KFAS headquarters. He shared stories and insights from the longest Arab space mission to date, beaming inspiration to the next generation of Kuwaiti innovators and space pioneers.
For the UAE, achievements in space are victories shared across the Arab world. While formal agreements and joint programmes underpin its partnership with Kuwait, the collaboration is equally reflected in the stories, mentorship, and inspiration the two countries exchange.
Symbolic gestures - such as UAE souvenirs from its first space mission, including a spacesuit and belongings from the MBRSC - are now on display at the Sheikh Abdullah Al-Salem Cultural Centre. Video clips from Al Neyadi’s mission aboard the ISS are also shown on a screen.
These exhibits stand as reminders that the cosmos is not only a frontier for scientific exploration but also a space for shared ambition, learning, and regional unity.
