Saudi Arabia Participates in UN Committee on Peaceful Uses of Outer Space

The Saudi delegation will host a side event themed “Saudi Towards Space - SPA
The Saudi delegation will host a side event themed “Saudi Towards Space - SPA
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Saudi Arabia Participates in UN Committee on Peaceful Uses of Outer Space

The Saudi delegation will host a side event themed “Saudi Towards Space - SPA
The Saudi delegation will host a side event themed “Saudi Towards Space - SPA

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is participating in the 67th session of the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS) taking place June 19-28.

According to SPA, its participation underscores the Kingdom's unwavering commitment to bolstering international cooperation and collaborative efforts with the member states, aimed at achieving the peaceful and sustainable utilization of outer space. It seeks to showcase the Kingdom's advances in space exploration and the deployment of space-related technologies, while also highlighting its pivotal role in supporting global initiatives related to outer space.

As part of its engagement, the Saudi delegation will host a side event themed “Saudi Towards Space: Igniting the Space Sector." This gathering, anticipated to attract over 80 leaders and experts in the field, will serve as a crucial platform for discussing potential collaborative opportunities.



Musk Says Starship to Depart for Mars at End of 2026

(FILES) The SpaceX Starship lifts off from Starbase near Boca Chica, Texas, on October 13, 2024, for the Starship Flight 5 test. (Photo by SERGIO FLORES / AFP)
(FILES) The SpaceX Starship lifts off from Starbase near Boca Chica, Texas, on October 13, 2024, for the Starship Flight 5 test. (Photo by SERGIO FLORES / AFP)
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Musk Says Starship to Depart for Mars at End of 2026

(FILES) The SpaceX Starship lifts off from Starbase near Boca Chica, Texas, on October 13, 2024, for the Starship Flight 5 test. (Photo by SERGIO FLORES / AFP)
(FILES) The SpaceX Starship lifts off from Starbase near Boca Chica, Texas, on October 13, 2024, for the Starship Flight 5 test. (Photo by SERGIO FLORES / AFP)

SpaceX founder Elon Musk said Saturday its massive Starship rocket would leave for Mars at the end of 2026 with Tesla humanoid robot Optimus onboard, adding that human landings could follow "as soon as 2029."

"Starship departs for Mars at the end of next year, carrying Optimus. If those landings go well, then human landings may start as soon as 2029, although 2031 is more likely," Musk said on his X social network, according to AFP.

Musk, who is also the Tesla CEO, brought out the company's Optimus robots at an event last year.

He said the dancing robots would one day be able to do menial tasks, as well as offer friendship, and expected them to retail for $20,000 to $30,000.

Starship -- the world's largest and most powerful rocket -- is key to Musk's long-term vision of colonizing Mars.

Standing 403 feet (123 meters) tall -- about 100 feet taller than the Statue of Liberty -- Starship is designed to eventually be fully reusable.

NASA is also awaiting a modified version of Starship as a lunar lander for its Artemis program, which aims to return astronauts to the Moon this decade.

But before SpaceX can carry out those missions, it must prove the vehicle is reliable, safe for crew, and capable of complex in-orbit refueling -- critical for deep space missions.

SpaceX faced a setback this month when its latest test flight of the Starship prototype ended in a fiery explosion, even as the booster was successfully caught in its orbital test.

It was a near replay of the previous attempt.

Minutes after liftoff and booster separation, a live video feed showed the upper stage tumbling uncontrollably before the signal abruptly cut.

Dramatic footage circulating online showed red-hot debris raining down over the Bahamas.

It marked its eighth uncrewed orbital test.