Montreal-based information services company NorthStar Earth & Space will support the expansion of space situational awareness capabilities to the Middle East under an agreement it signed with the Saudi Space Agency at the first Space Debris Conference in Riyadh. The agreement, which NorthStar announced on Monday, also focuses on improving space object tracking and growing the Saudi space industry.
Among the partnership’s action steps are to establish a Centre of Excellence for Space Situational Awareness in Saudi Arabia and promote the sustainability of kingdom’s space environment through advanced data analytics and object tracking system such as optical, radar and radio frequency sensing technologies.
The agreement will also explore the possibility of collaboration in satellite manufacturing to further boost space situational awareness and space traffic management.
In addition, NorthStar will look into establishing a business presence in Saudi Arabia to expand its global services, localize advanced space technology development and boost synergies with Saudi universities and research centers.
The Saudi Space Agency will also tap the services of California-based LeoLabs for research and development support on SSA data and low-Earth orbit domain supervision. SpaceWatch said the two sides signed a memorandum of agreement during the Riyadh conference on Sunday.