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Saudi Arabia will be the next launch site for near-space tourism company Halo Space, as it gets ready to test its second real-size prototype capsule 32kms above the Earth’s surface.
Headquartered in Madrid, the company, which specialises in stratospheric commercial flights, will embark on its sixth test flight from the kingdom in June, the company said in a release, with conditional approval from the Communications, Space and Technology Commission (CST), the Saudi Arabia authority responsible for space regulation.
Halo Space CEO Carlos Mira said in a statement that this test will validate the integrated operation of all critical systems, “bringing us one step closer to our goal,” which includes plans to begin commercial flights in 2026.
Founded in 2021 through consulting firm Arthur D. Little’s Breakthrough Incubator programme, Halo Space also has plans to set up four bases around the world, including Saudi Arabia, along with the US, Australia, and Spain, for its future near space stratospheric flights.
Saudi Arabia as a base for space flights comes at a time when the country has been heavily investing to get ahead in the space race.
While talks to invest $1 billion in Richard Branson’s Virgin Group fell through with in 2018, months later, the kingdom launched its Saudi Space Commission to accelerate economic diversification, enhance research and development, and raise private sector participation in the global space industry.
According to a November 2023 report by the Saudi CST, the sector is expected to reach an average annual value of $2.2 billion from 2023 to 2030.
(Writing by Bindu Rai, editing by Seban Scaria)
