Other States

Apart from Iran and Israel, few other states from West Asia have keen interest in space technologies. Many of them could be viewed as the beginners in this field. Some of them are making significant investments in the space arena by fully being appreciative of the potential of this technology in various fields. This segment analyses the developing space programmes of few more states from the region.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE), a federation of seven states, has found steadily building a portfolio of space resources. It has put one satellite in orbit with a two more on order. DubaiSat-1, a remote sensing satellite with 5 m resolution built by South Korea and weighing in at 200 kg [12], was launched in 2009 by the Russian Dnepr-1 vehicle. Second satellite DubaiSat-2 is slated to be launched in 2012, and UAE expects a completely ‘made in the UAE’ satellite Dubai-Sat-3 to be launched in near future.

UAE’s capital Abu Dhabi is an advanced city in the region in regard to its infrastructure facilities. Virgin Galactic, a space enterprise of the Virgin Group, is interested in building a spaceport in Abu Dhabi (subject to approval from the US authorities). In fact Abu Dhabi’s Aabar Investments has already acquired 32% stake in Virgin Galactic by paying $280 million. Virgin Galactic is proposing to build a commercial space visit facility here after their spacecraft becomes operational in near future. It may cost $200,000 for a trip to space. The company envisages having six passengers and two pilots to fly up into suborbital space, stay there for 5 min and return. Six UAE residents have booked their seats for first suborbital flight [13]. Apart from commercial interests in the space field, the UAE administration is also keen to develop technical expertise in various disciplines of rocket science. They have an ongoing initiative to help train UAE’s aerospace engineers with NASA. They have organised few conferences on space issue to be in more awareness on the subject and also to establish associations with the other business and government organisations in this field. In short, the UAE is keen to develop Abu Dhabi as a major space port. UAE appears to have identified ‘space’ as a major sector for future investments and is found systematically making efforts in that direction.

On April 23,2011, a ‘built in’ UAE satellite Y1A was successfully launched from the European Space Center in Kourou, French Guiana. It was built by Yahsat, the Emirates’ Al Yah Satellite Communications Co., and a wholly owned subsidiary of

Mubadala Development Company, the Abu Dhabi-based Investment and Develop­ment Company. Yahsat has commissioned two satellites to create regionally focused capacity to manage the expanding requirements for government, commercial and consumer satellite communication services. A second satellite, Y1B, is likely to be launched in 2012 to complete the $1.66 billion Yahsat programme. Y1A and Y1B will also provide commercial communications across the West Asia, Africa, Southwest Asia and Europe.[26]

Saudi Arabia is another country in the region having potential (and interest) for growth in space field. Their interest in this field goes back to early 1980s. Two in­teresting events of that period need a mention. Saudi Arabia’s Prince Sultan Salman Abdel Aziz Al-Saud was the first Arab to fly in space for 7 days in 1985 in shuttle Discovery (the second Arab was a Syrian cosmonaut who spent 8 days in 1987 at Mir station). The other incident is that Riyadh, the capital and largest city of Saudi Arabia, is the headquarters of the Arab Satellite Communications Organization which operates the Arabsat GEO telecommunications system since 1985 with more than 20 member countries. Arabsat was created to deliver satellite-based, public and private telecommunications services to the Arab States, in accordance with international standards, and currently five satellite platforms (Arabsat-2B, BADR-4, BADR-5, BADR-6 and Arabsat-5A) are performing this task.[27]

The major investments by Saudi Arabia have been in the field of low orbit micro­communication satellites. SaudiComsat 1 to SaudiComsat7 satellites were launched with the help of a Russian launcher Dnepr-1 during 2004-2007.[28] Saudi Arabia has launched 12 satellites till date from the Baikonur site in Kazakhstan.22 Presently, Saudi Arabia is found keen in developing its own space agenda and make additional investments.

In 2010, they have signed agreements with India and Ukraine. With India, the agreement is of cooperation on peaceful use of outer space. Indian space agency is helping them to develop an indigenous space programme. Under commercial agree­ment, India is also expected to help Saudi Arabia to launch their satellites in near future. The agreement with Ukraine stipulates that Saudi Arabian and Ukrainian scientists will cooperate in fundamental space research and a range of applied sciences, particularly geophysics. The agreement offers broad opportunities for scientists from the both countries to hold joint symposiums and conferences, share results of experiments. Saudi Arabia and Kazakhstan have signed an agreement

for bilateral cooperation in space exploration on November 20, 2011. They would be cooperating on satellite telecommunication research and space exploration for peaceful purposes.[29]

For a state like Turkey living in a geopolitically rough neighbourhood, the strategic utility of space systems is obvious. Turkey’s interests in satellite arena are mainly concentrated towards putting them in use for the communication purposes which has both civilian and military utility. Their various communication satellites belong to the Turksat series. Amongst Turksat 1A, Turksat 1B, Turksat 1C, Turksat 2A[30] and Turksat 3A satellites launched so far the first launch in 1994 of Turksat 1A had to witness failure because of the malfunction of the rocket. Turksat 1C had encountered some problems after a successful launch, but the agencies were successful in keeping it in operational conduction for 14 years but went of use in 2010. Turksat 3A was launched during June 2008 and is presently functioning well.

To cater for its imagery requirements, Turkey being a NATO member has some access to information from US satellites, and they can also buy imagery on the open market from Spot Image, DigitalGlobe, or others. However, Turkey understands that depending on allies has its own limitation. Theoretically, Turkey requires all-weather radar imaging system and multi – and hyperspectral capability [14]. Appreciating such type of needs and few other emerging strategic, social and commercial needs, Turkey has started making more investments into various satellite technologies.

Turkey’s first national earth observation satellite, RASAT, was launched success­fully on August 17,2011. This 100-kg satellite with a design life of 3 years has been designed and manufactured by the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey—Space Technologies Research Institute (TUBITAK-UZAY).[31] The satellite was launched by Russian Dnepr space launch vehicle. Turkey has an ambitious plan for sending indigenous communication satellite in space by 2015. This launch also could be viewed as learning experience for various future satellite launches. Turkey has devised a 10-year satellite strategy and has plan for few launches during 2015 and 2017 period.[32]

Turkey during March 2011 has signed a US$571 million deal with Japanese firm Mitsubishi Electric Corporation to procure and launch two communications

satellites by 2014. Turkey plans to place Turksat 4A into orbit by the last quarter of 2013 and launch Turksat 4B in 2014, with the two satellites having a lifespan of 30 years. Turkish engineers are also starting to produce another satellite Turksat 5A in cooperation with the Japanese firm.[33]

Turkey’s plans of launching Gokturk satellites have raised concerns from their neighbour Israel. As per the available information Telespazio, a Finmecca – nica/Thales company, has won in December 2008 a tender as prime contractor, supported by Thales Alenia Space (a Thales/Finmeccanica company), from the Turkish Ministry of Defence for the Gokturk 1 satellite system. This agreement allows the supply of an Earth observation satellite equipped with a high-resolution (0.8 m) optical sensor, an integration and test centre for satellites to be built in Turkey. Telespazio will also provide all satellite launch and test services.[34] No further details about this mission are available. However, what is causing concerns in certain quarters is the proposal regarding the launch of Gokttirk-2 satellite.

It has been reported that China will launch Turkey’s first intelligence satellite, Gokttirk-2, for US$20 million. Goktlirk-2 is expected to detect the movements of objects smaller than even 1 m2, will help capture terrorists infiltrating Turkish borders. The optical camera for the satellite has been bought from South Korea, while all the other parts have been produced and manufactured in Turkey. Goktlirk-2 is expected to be launched in 2012. Its civilian uses include control of forestland, tracking illegal construction, rapid assessment of damage after natural disasters, determination of agricultural boundaries and geographical data gathering.[35] This satellite (technically a commercial satellite) is likely to become operational by 2012/2013 and would sell images of objects more detailed than 2 m (6 ft) across— currently the finest grain available when it comes to pictures of Israel. This capability is expected to become a bone of contention in future. All these years Israel had a support of the ‘shutter control’ policy adopted by the USA. A 1997 amendment to the US National Defence Authorisation Act bans dissemination of satellite images of Israel of a grain higher than that available from non-American commercial sources. The basic agreement was for 2-m resolution.[36] Unlike with other nations that have fielded commercial satellites which can make the imagery of Israel available with great accuracy, Israel has little leverage over Turkey. Turkey has frozen relations with Israel and has no intentions to exercise any form of ‘shutter control’ when their satellite becomes operational. The resolution of this satellite is expected to be less than a metre, and this proposed launch by Turkey is definitely making Israel uncomfortable.

Many states from West Asia are expected to confront challenges from domestic politics to socioeconomic issues to interventionist policies of the West in future. At the same time, states in the region are keen to develop economically and bring in social development in their respective countries. To put in a nutshell, the states with the region understand that space technologies have various utilities and also dual-use significance. Hence, West Asian states are found keenly working towards administering space in their development and security agenda.