Under the leadership of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, and in light of the royal vision to place Bahrain among the leading nations in the space sector and contribute effectively to international efforts to harness space sciences and their applications in the service of humanity, the Kingdom of Bahrain has laid out an ambitious plan to secure a prominent international position in the field of space sciences in pursuit of comprehensive and sustainable development. A National Space Policy has been developed to translate the royal vision into tangible reality.
The Bahrain Space Agency was established by Royal Decree No (11) for the Year (2014) (Arabic only) to enhance Bahrain’s standing and advance it among developed nations in the field of space sciences and technologies, thereby supporting comprehensive and sustainable development.
The Agency focuses on harnessing space sciences and technologies for national development, promoting space sciences and applications, developing advanced space research programmes, and building national capabilities to establish a new space sector in the Kingdom that supports scientific advancement and the national economy.
The Agency works closely with various government entities to identify their needs and plan to provide enhanced space technology services for governance and development. It also collaborates with higher education institutions to promote research, innovation, and development in diverse space sciences and connect them with future sciences. The Agency is also working on developing national space legislation to regulate space activities in accordance with international standards, positioning Bahrain as an attractive destination for global investment in this vital sector.
The Kingdom of Bahrain has prioritised the development of national capacities in space sciences to establish a distinguished national institution in this field, develop advanced research programmes, and promote innovation to drive scientific and technological progress in line with Bahrain’s Vision 2030.
On 21 December 2021, the Bahrain Space Agency announced the launch of the joint Bahraini-Emirati satellite "Light-1", designed and developed by a team of young Bahrainis in collaboration with the UAE Space Agency. The satellite’s mission involved a unique specialised study on gamma rays and their effects on aircraft structures and the health of aviation personnel. Additionally, members of the Bahrain Space Team participated in the development and design of the mini-satellite "DhabiSat" for the UAE.
Bahrain also collaborates with regional and international space agencies and centres to exchange knowledge and gain expertise for future space initiatives. These include the design and construction of a satellite payload to monitor greenhouse gas emissions in Bahrain and the Gulf region in cooperation with the University of Leicester and funded by the UK Space Agency’s International Partnership Programme. Another project includes the design, development, and launch of a winning payload through the Hosted Payloads Initiative in collaboration with the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre and the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs, related to space cyber security.
The Bahrain Space Agency team is working on several international cooperation projects, including the design and construction of three lunar payloads. As part of pan-Arab collaboration, the Agency is also involved in the "Arab Satellite 813" remote sensing project — one of the region’s largest space initiatives, led by the UAE with participation from several Arab nations. The project aims to provide high-quality spatial data to support sustainable development efforts in the region, especially in monitoring climate change, managing natural resources, tracking urban expansion, and enhancing food and water security.
In 2025, a major national achievement was marked with the launch of Bahrain’s first satellite featuring innovative Bahraini technologies, named "AlMunther". It was developed by Bahraini specialists in engineering, programming, and space systems. AlMunther was designed to boost national capabilities in advanced space technologies and solidify Bahrain’s standing among the leading nations in this vital field.
AlMunther is the first of its kind in the region to use artificial intelligence algorithms for real-time image analysis directly onboard a satellite of this size — a transformative leap in the space economy. It is also equipped with advanced cyber security technologies that ensure the privacy of satellite data, granting Bahrain a pioneering role in this critical area.
The AlMunther project is a strategic initiative of the Bahrain Space Agency, part of its national plan to develop the space sector. It aims to build a strong scientific and practical foundation to support innovation in space applications and contribute to achieving the Kingdom’s sustainable development goals. The satellite carries a medium-resolution camera payload used to capture detailed images of Bahrain and its territorial waters, alongside other innovative Bahraini-developed payloads combining AI and advanced cyber security technologies, enhancing the scientific and practical value of this national initiative.
The Agency has established a laboratory to promote the use of satellite images and geospatial data in Bahrain. The lab provides high-resolution satellite images, processed data, and analytical studies to support decision-making in various sectors such as urban planning, environmental management, and agriculture. This initiative strengthens Bahrain’s capabilities in space sciences and geospatial technologies, enabling informed decision-making across sectors to achieve comprehensive and sustainable development.
The Kingdom of Bahrain employs space science and technology to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in various sectors, including education, health, agriculture, technology, security and more.
In response to national needs related to food security, the Bahrain Space Agency team — comprising young national talents — has successfully used Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies for the automated monitoring of all palm trees across Bahrain. By calculating the total number and geographical distribution of palm trees across the Kingdom’s governorates, researchers and investors can conduct further studies and draw conclusions related to food security and environmental health. These include estimating the yield per tree, identifying areas of palm tree concentration, and assessing their health status which meet the relevant national needs by making use of space science in the service of SDG2 targets.
Additionally, five key factors affecting food security and crop quality are studied: soil moisture levels, soil salinity concentrations, surface temperature, water concentration in plant leaves, and chlorophyll content in plants.
Satellite imagery is also used to monitor oil spills in the Arabian Gulf using various spatial and non-spatial data sources. These data help assess and predict the environmental impact of spills and contribute to activating emergency and disaster response plans. Furthermore, water bodies are monitored and their quality analysed, urban heat islands tracked, and air quality assessed from space to study its environmental and human health impact — among dozens of other research studies.
Since 2020, engineers and technicians at the Bahrain Space Agency have published more than 79 scientific papers in prestigious conferences and journals, with ongoing efforts to publish further research in diverse fields, including:
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Content Last Updated: 15 Apr, 2025
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