Arab Countries are Launching Significant Investments in Space

Emirati observers watch at the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) in Dubai on February 27, 2023 as a screen shows the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with the companys Crew Dragon spacecraft venting fuel prior to a scrubbed launch from pad 39A for the Crew-6 mission at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida. – The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launch to the International Space Station was postponed on February 27, with officials citing problems with ground systems. The SpaceX Dragon Crew-6 mission was scheduled to depart the Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 1:45 am (0645 GMT), carrying two NASA astronauts, a Russian cosmonaut and the second Emirati to voyage to space. Sultan al-Neyadi, 41, of the United Arab Emirates is to spend six months on the orbiting station. He will be the fourth astronaut from an Arab country and the second from the oil-rich UAE to journey to space. (Photo by Karim SAHIB / AFP) (Photo by KARIM SAHIB/AFP via Getty Images)

By Norman T. Roule

Norman Roule is a geopolitical and energy consultant who served for 34 years in the Central Intelligence Agency, managing numerous programs relating to Iran and the Middle East. As NIM-I at ODNI, he was responsible for all aspects of national intelligence policy related to Iran, including IC engagement with senior policymakers in the National Security Council and the Department of State.

EXPERT VIEWFor only the second time since its launch in 1998, the International Space Station (ISS) has welcomed an Arab astronaut. Sultan al-Neyadi will spend six months in orbit in what will be the longest Arab space mission in history.  The Middle East is poised to play a significant role in a global space industry that was valued near $470 billion in 2022. 

The Cipher Brief spoke with Middle East Expert Norm Roule about the growing Arab presence in space and how the region is looking at opportunities in the crowded space market.  

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