Saudi Arabia reveals terms of space exploration deal with Russia

Saudi Arabia has published the terms of the cooperation agreement it signed with Russia on space exploration for peaceful purposes.

Under the deal signed in October 2017, King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology and the Russian Federal Space Agency will cooperate in manufacturing, developing, and using spaceships, as well as building suitable infrastructure for space activities.

Funding the joint space exploration activities will be subject to both countries’ peaceful purpose exploration and budgeting systems, with no obligation on either parties to approve additional budgets to finance the collaboration, the deal terms says.

The amount of funding needed from each party will be determined based on each party’s contribution, according to the size of work and scientific research done.

Additional funds must be set in separate agreements between both parties.

The agreement was one of several deals Saudi Arabia signed last year with Russia upon King Salman’s official visit to the Kremlin, Argaam previously reported.

The complete terms of the agreement is published on official gazette, Umm Al-Qura.