Abu Dhabi to host largest space centre in the MENA region

Abu Dhabi will host the largest space centre in the Middle East and North Africa region by 2013, it was announced at the ongoing ninth International Defence Exhibition and Conference (IDEX 2009). The centre, to be developed at a cost of $1.03 billion (Dh3.7 billion), will be fully operational by2013.

The centre will receive, analyse and utilise data from satellites. It will be a fully commercial facility marketing its images and data in the international market. It is expected that by this period at least four satellites will be fully operational.

The Gulf Earth Observation Centre (4C GEOC) will be a three-way joint venture between US-based 4C Controls, Hydra Trading and Baynunah Aviation Service. The JV was announced at the Idex exhibition.

"The first phase of the project, the building with its direct ground receiving station, will be completed and operational within six months from now. The construction of the building and all the equipment and the entire process will cost $30 million," said Major General Khalid Abdullah Al Buainnain (retd), vice-president for Middle East military and defence security at 4C Controls.

He also said the centre will be first centre of its kind in the entire Middle East and North Africa region. "The project will be launched and managed on a long-term and multistage basis. With facilities ready within next six months, the centre will have its own first two satellites, costing $500m, orbiting the earth in 2012. The remaining two, also costing $500, will be launched the next year, in 2013," he explained.

The satellites GulfSar 1, 2, 3and 4 will be acquired under the company's Gulf Satellite Programme (GulfSar).

"We believe that having 4C's Gulf Earth Observation Centre located in Abu Dhabi will uniquely provide our region an access to a key technology, secure and timely data acquisition, processing, analysis and distribution, which was not available to our regional customers."

About the funds raised for the project, Dr Ricardo Maggiora, 4C Controls Director and Chief Technology Officer, said the cost will be met by partners and also raised through the services offered by the centre, such as images and data from satellites.

"We are already negotiating the closing of shareholding structure," he added.