Saudi Arabia launches 2 satellites aboard Russian Soyuz 2 rocket

Saudi Arabia’s two satellites - Shaheen Sat of King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST) and CubeSat of King Saud University - were launched today, March 22, 2021, aboard the Russian Soyuz 2 rocket, Saudi Press Agency reported.

Shaheen Sat is a new generation of small-sized satellites, dedicated to imaging the Earth and tracking ships from low orbits. It includes the payloads of high-resolution imaging telescope and maritime tracking. It is characterized by an imaging accuracy of up to 0.9 meters, with a weight not exceeding 75 kilograms (kg) and dimensions up to 56 x 56 x 97 cm.

Meanwhile, CubeSat is the first satellite launched by a Saudi university, with a weight of 1 kg and dimensions up to 10 x 10 x 10 cm. It is an educational project aiming to train the engineering students at the university in the fields of designing and programming of satellites.