Greetings to everyone whose eyes are always looking up, toward the sky and the stars! Remember in 2023 when we followed the journey of Rayyanah Barnawi and Ali AlQarni with such pride and excitement? That was just the beginning. But today, in 2026, space is no longer just an “exploratory trip”; it has become a fully integrated economic and scientific sector in Saudi Arabia. Today, the “King Salman Center for Space Exploration” was officially inaugurated, and the Saudi Space Agency announced the deployment of the “third batch” of Saudi astronauts on a long-term mission to the International Space Station (ISS). In 2026, Saudi Arabia is no longer just watching the race; it is setting the rules, manufacturing satellites through its own engineers, and contributing to research that changes human life on Earth.
The scene at the “National Space Operations Center” in Riyadh in 2026 makes you feel as if you are in the heart of the future. Screens monitor the movement of Saudi satellites (SGS-1) and others dedicated to communications and data, large parts of which were manufactured and assembled within the Kingdom. What truly warms the heart in 2026 is that our young men and women are the ones managing the control rooms, developing the algorithms that analyze satellite imagery to serve agriculture, the environment, and urban planning. Space in 2026 has become an “open laboratory” for Saudi creativity, and we are seeing Saudi startups specialized in “space tech” competing in global markets.
As for the “Sustainable Astronaut Program” in 2026, the matter has become professional to the highest degree. Saudi Arabia now has a “corps of astronauts” trained to the highest standards in cooperation with international agencies like NASA and Axiom Space. Our astronauts today in 2026 are conducting scientific experiments in microgravity related to cancer and gene therapies, with results stamped “Made in Saudi.” This investment has prompted Saudi universities to open departments for “Space Sciences” and “Rocket Engineering.” When a schoolchild is asked, “What do you want to be?” they no longer just say a pilot; they say, “I want to be an astronaut and reach Mars.” This is the true shift in the ceiling of ambition.
The economic impact of the space sector in 2026 has exceeded expectations. The satellite communications and internet sector now covers every remote settlement and village in the Kingdom with incredible speeds, supporting digital transformation everywhere. Furthermore, global investments in the Saudi space sector have attracted major companies to open R&D centers here. Saudi Arabia in 2026 has proven that the “Space Economy” is one of the engines of the future and that those who own the sky, own the land. Today, in 2026, we confirm to the world that our dreams have no limits, and that “Above the Clouds” was not just a song—it was a strategic plan we worked on until it became a reality that holds every Saudi’s head high among the stars.
