The Communications, Space and Technology Commission (CST) announced the first ever participation of the Saudi Astronomy Team in the International Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics (IOAA 2024) in Brazil.
The move is in collaboration with the King Abdulaziz and His Companions Foundation for Giftedness and Creativity (Mawhiba).
The achievement is a product of CST and Mawhiba's joint programs that included training and preparing students.
The Saudi Astronomy Team will be represented by Jude Basem Al-Luhyani from the Makkah Education Department, Fajr Hassan Al-Obaidan from the Al-Ahsa Education Department, and Hussein Hassan Al-Mubarak from the Eastern Province Education Department.
Each member has undergone around 590 hours of training.
Their participation reflects CST's commitment to nurturing national talent for global competition in the space sector, empowering local individuals, and motivating students to pursue careers in space and related fields, all aimed at strengthening Saudi Arabia’s capabilities in the space industry.
CST has implemented a series of training programs over a 12-month period. This initiative was designed in collaboration with Mawhiba to prepare students for the IOAA 2024, which assesses participants' skills in astronomical observation, celestial mechanics, astrophysics, and cosmology.
As a regulator in the space sector, CST is committed to offering a variety of training and educational programs. These initiatives aim to prepare national cadres to keep up with rapid developments in space and to boost opportunities in the field.
