The Official Gazette “Umm Al-Qura” published the organization of the Saudi Space Agency in 13 articles, as the system is implemented starting today.

Article one:

The following terms and phrases – wherever they appear in this Regulation – shall mean the meanings indicated in front of each of them:

Minister: Minister of Communications and Information Technology.

agency: Saudi Space Agency.

Commission: Communications, Space and Technology Authority.

Organization: Agency organization.

the Council: Agency board of directors.

President: Chairman of the Board.

chief executive officer: Agency CEO.

second subject:

The agency enjoys a public legal personality and financial and administrative independence. It is organizationally linked to the Minister. Its main headquarters is in the city of Riyadh, and it may establish branches or offices inside or outside the Kingdom as needed.

Article Three:

The agency aims to lead the development of the civil space sector, promote the peaceful use of space, strengthen the Kingdom’s position as a leading regional and international center in the field of space science and technology, contribute to the development and vital sectors in the Kingdom, and possess knowledge of the civil space sector, without prejudice to the competence of the authorities. other government – do everything necessary to achieve its objectives, including the following:

1- Manufacturing and developing activities related to the civil space sector and supporting and enhancing it, including: satellite technologies and systems, space data, launching of space vehicles and objects, launch platforms, their locations and launch of payloads.

2- Monitoring space, monitoring space debris and mitigating its effects, tracking objects and objects, managing space traffic, managing early warning systems, and collecting information about the Earth’s surface and space.

3- Implementing space programs and operations, in accordance with the policies approved by the Supreme Space Council.

4- Selecting and training astronauts, and working to build the capabilities of national cadres and develop their skills and experience in the field of the civil space sector, in cooperation with the Authority and the relevant authorities.

5- Participate in rescue operations and investigate accidents and incidents related to the civil space sector.

6- Preparing and supporting studies and research related to the civil space sector, including: astronomy, outer space exploration, space resource activities, remote sensing, space surveying, and the study of natural and environmental phenomena; This is according to the applicable regulations and procedures.

7- Cooperate with regional and international organizations, similar bodies in other countries, and local, regional and international research and advisory bodies, within the limits of the agency’s competence and in accordance with the followed regular procedures.

8- Representing the Kingdom in international bodies, organizations, and regional and international events related to the agency’s competencies, after coordination with the commission; This is in accordance with the applicable regular procedures.

9- Holding exhibitions, conferences and workshops related to the agency’s competencies, in accordance with the applicable regular procedures.

10- Conclusion of agreements and memorandums of understanding related to the Agency’s activities and within the limits of its competencies with similar entities in other countries and with international and regional organizations, in coordination with the Commission and in accordance with the applicable regular procedures.

11- Building human and technical capabilities for the development of the civil space sector in the Kingdom, and the development, transfer and localization of space science and technology, including the implementation or support of infrastructure for the civil space sector, services related to space activities, and other activities that support and enhance the sector and support entrepreneurs and emerging companies operating in the sector. For the agency:

a- Establishing companies on its own or in partnership with others, establishing funds, or investing through the purchase of shares or quotas, or merging or acquiring companies or entities engaged in similar or similar activities; Inside or outside the Kingdom, according to the legal procedures.

b- Purchasing and acquiring assets and concluding disposals of movable and immovable property, and it may lease and mortgage such property, according to legal procedures.

C- Approving the conclusion of agreements and contracts, according to the legal procedures.

D- Establishing research centers and academies to support the civil space sector.

12- Work to raise awareness of space science, its technologies and uses, in coordination with the relevant authorities.

Article Four:

The agency shall have a board of directors chaired by the Minister of Communications and Information Technology, and the membership of:

1- Governor of the Communications, Space and Technology Commission (Vice-Chairman).

2- The President of the General Authority of Civil Aviation.

3- President of King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology.

4- Three persons with expertise and specialization in the agency’s field of work, appointed by order of the Prime Minister based on a proposal from the President, and their membership term shall be (three) years, renewable for one time.

Article Five:

The Council is the dominant authority in managing the agency’s affairs, conducting its affairs, and drawing up its general policy within the limits of the provisions of the organization and other relevant regulations. It takes all necessary decisions to achieve its objectives, and in particular it has the following:

1- Proposing policies related to the Agency’s activities, strategies, plans and programs necessary for their implementation, and submitting them to the Authority to complete the legal procedures in this regard.

2- Proposing draft regulations related to the agency’s activity, proposing to amend the applicable ones, and submitting them to the authority with regulatory and oversight competence for the space sector, in preparation for their approval in accordance with the applicable regular procedures.

3- Approve the plans and technical requirements necessary to implement, operate and develop the infrastructure of the space sector, including ground stations, and activities and technologies related to space flights.

4- Adopting policies and standards related to the safety and sustainability of space activities and space security.

5- Approval of the agency’s organizational structure.

6- Approval of the administrative and financial regulations, and other regulations necessary for the functioning of the agency’s work, provided that the approval of the administrative regulations is in agreement with the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development, and the approval of financial regulations and provisions of financial impact in the administrative regulations in agreement with the Ministry of Finance.

7- Approving the establishment of branches and offices for the agency inside or outside the Kingdom, as needed.

8- To approve the agency’s draft annual budget, its final accounts, and its annual report; as a prelude to raising it in accordance with the legal procedures.

9- Determining the financial consideration for the services and works provided by the Agency, for which the Council deems to obtain a financial consideration.

10- Approving the use of studies, research and planning centers, houses of expertise, experts and consultants, in order to achieve the Agency’s objectives.

11- Appointing an external auditor and an internal financial controller.

12- Approving the conclusion of agreements, memorandums of understanding and contracts, according to the applicable legal procedures.

13- Accept gifts, donations, grants, bequests and endowments in accordance with the provisions regulating this.

14- Examining the periodic reports submitted to him on the progress of work in the Agency.

15- Approving the agency’s establishment of companies, funds, research centers and academies supporting the space sector or contributing to it, in accordance with the statutory procedures.

In order to achieve these competencies, the Council may form permanent or temporary committees from among its members or others, to which it is entrusted with whatever tasks it deems appropriate, and the decision to form each committee determines its chairperson, members and competencies, and it has the assistance of whomever it deems necessary to perform the tasks entrusted to it, and the Council may delegate some of its competencies. To its chairman or to whomever he deems to be among its members, or to the CEO.

Article Six:

1- Board meetings shall be held at the agency’s headquarters or in any other place or remotely, under the chairmanship of the chairman or his deputy.

2- The Board holds its meetings periodically (four) times a year at least, and the Chairman has the right to call for a meeting whenever the need arises, or when requested by at least (four) members of the Board, and the invitation to the meeting is sent by the Chairman or his deputy in writing before the date of the meeting by (Seven) days at least, provided that the invitation includes the agenda and place of the meeting.

3- The meeting of the council shall be valid if attended by at least the majority of the members, including the chairman or his deputy, and decisions shall be issued by at least a majority of the votes of those present.

4- The council’s deliberations and decisions are documented in minutes signed by the chairman of the meeting and the attending members.

5- A Council member may not abstain from voting, nor authorize another member to vote on his behalf in his absence. The objecting member may record his objection and the reasons for the objection in the minutes of the Council meeting.

6- The Chairman may invite whoever he deems appropriate to attend the meetings without having the right to vote.

Article Seven:

1- The agency shall have a chief executive appointed by a decision of the Board, and the appointment decision shall determine his wages and financial benefits.

A- Supervising the workflow of the agency through approved regulations, plans and programmes.

B- Proposing work policies related to the agency’s activity, plans and programs necessary for their implementation, submitting them to the Board, and following up on their implementation after approval.

C- Proposing the agency’s organizational structure, draft administrative and financial regulations, and other internal regulations necessary for the agency’s work, and submitting them to the Board for approval.

d- Appointing, supervising and terminating the agency’s employees, as determined by the regulations.

E- Issuing orders for the agency’s expenditures in accordance with the approved annual budget and the agency’s regulations, and signing contracts, memorandums of understanding, and others as decided by the Board.

F- Preparing the agency’s draft annual budget, draft final account and annual report, and submitting them to the Council for approval.

G- Representing the agency before the judiciary, government agencies, institutions and other relevant bodies and other entities inside and outside the Kingdom, and he may authorize others to do so.

H- Preparing periodic reports on the progress of the Agency’s work and its achievements, and on what hinders the achievement of its objectives, and his recommendations in this regard, and submitting them to the Council.

i- Submitting proposals to the Board regarding issues within the competence of the Agency.

J- Any other competence assigned to him by the Council or by the Agency’s regulations.

2- The chief executive may delegate some of his competencies, duties and powers to other employees of the agency.

Article Eight:

1- The agency’s financial resources consist of the following:

A- The appropriations allocated to it in the state’s general budget.

B- What the Council accepts in terms of gifts, donations, grants, bequests and endowments, in accordance with the provisions regulating this.

C- The financial consideration for the services and works provided by the agency.

D- Any other resource approved by the Council in a way that does not contradict the regulations and instructions.

E- Investment returns of the agency’s funds.

2- The agency funds shall be deposited in the current account of the Ministry of Finance in the Central Bank of Saudi Arabia.

3- The agency shall open an account for it in the Central Bank of Saudi Arabia and may open other accounts in any of the banks licensed to operate in the Kingdom, and disbursements shall be made from these accounts in accordance with the agency’s budget and financial regulations.

Article Nine:

1- The agency shall have an independent annual budget, issued in accordance with the arrangements for issuing the state’s general budget.

2- The agency’s fiscal year is the state’s fiscal year.

Article Ten:

Without prejudice to the competence of the General Court of Accounting in oversight of the agency’s accounts and operations, the Board shall appoint an external auditor (or more) from those licensed to work in the Kingdom, to audit its accounts, transactions, statements, annual budget and closing accounts, and the Board shall determine its fees, submit the auditor’s report to the Board, and provide The Public Audit Bureau, with a copy thereof, after its approval by the Board.

Article Eleven:

Agency employees are subject to the provisions of the Labor Law and the Social Insurance Law.

Article Twelve:

The regulation replaces the organizational arrangements of the Saudi Space Authority, issued by Cabinet Resolution No. (209) dated 4/25/1440 AH.

Article Thirteen:

This Regulation shall be published in the Official Gazette and shall come into effect from the date of its issuance.