The King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST) has embarked on a major programme to assist outstanding students to conduct research works at US labs as part of efforts to produce a new generation of Saudi space scientists. “The Saudi students will be able to conduct research programmes on board US space stations, opening new horizons for them in space science,” the KACST said in a statement, adding that the students would work under the supervision of its experts.
The national research institute said students would design and develop their scientific research projects using CubeSat, a miniaturised satellite for space research that usually has a volume of exactly one litre and a mass of no more than 1.33 kg.
Beginning in 1999, California Polytechnic State University and Stanford University developed the CubeSat specifications to help universities worldwide to perform space science and exploration. It has since grown to become an international partnership of over 40 institutes that are developing picosatellites containing scientific payloads.