The Bahrain Space Agency participated in the third Global Space Leaders Summit held in Antalya, Türkiye, convened during the International Astronautical Congress. CEO Dr. Mohammed Ibrahim Al Asiri led the Kingdom’s delegation during executive roundtable sessions addressing orbital resilience, terrestrial disaster management, and the commercial development of the Moon.
Executive discussions focused on the transition of lunar exploration from purely scientific research into an emerging hub for long-term economic activity and technology development. The summit addressed the potential utilization of natural lunar resources, including water ice and helium-3 deposits, while examining governance models for equitable resource management.
Regional Missions and Technical Payloads
During the summit, the agency highlighted its active involvement in regional deep-space initiatives, emphasizing joint missions designed to build native technical capacity.
- UAE Lunar Mission Collaboration: Bahrain developed a specialized navigation camera payload in partnership with the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre.
- Joint Egyptian Lunar Probe: The agency is partnering with Egypt on a joint lunar mission targeted for launch in late 2026 or early 2027 to analyze south pole soil composition and frozen water deposits.
- Engineering and Human Capital: Local engineering teams continue to work alongside international partners to acquire specialized technical skillsets in mission design and payload integration.
Governance and Multilateral Frameworks
Addressing regional space leaders, Dr. Al Asiri underscored the necessity of establishing international cooperation frameworks, ethical governance standards, and investment strategies to guide lunar exploration.
The agency reaffirmed Bahrain’s intent to contribute to the global space economy by leveraging international research partnerships, expanding payload development, and embedding its national space program within broader multilateral frameworks.
