Saudi Arabia is making a serious play in the space industry. With the establishment of Neo Space Group (NSG) by the Public Investment Fund (PIF), the Kingdom is positioning itself as a major force in commercial space and satellite operations.
NSG has been tasked with building local capabilities, advancing satellite communications, and driving innovation in earth observation, navigation, and IoT, all key to economic diversification under Vision 2030.
At the heart of this effort is Mohannad Almurshed, NSG’s vice president of satellite operations, responsible for overseeing the expansion and management of Saudi Arabia’s growing satellite infrastructure.
The Fintech Times caught up with Almurshed at the popular LEAP 2025 tech show in Riyadh to discuss the challenges and opportunities of running satellite operations at scale.
Moving into space
Almurshed’s journey into space wasn’t a childhood dream but a career evolution shaped by telecommunications, spectrum management and satellite procurement.
“I started my career back in 2007 as a network management system engineer in terrestrial networks, monitoring and troubleshooting national fibre infrastructure,” he explained.
His shift to space-related work began in 2014 when he joined Saudi Arabia’s telecom regulator, now known as the Communications, Space & Technology Commission (CST).
“I started by handling the national frequency plan, then moved into space-related frequency management, including frequency coordination activities and filing orbital slots with the ITU. That was really my main gateway into space and satellites.”
By 2018, Almurshed had joined Arabsat as director of technical planning and development. “There, I supervised the whole satellite procurement cycle, collecting requirements, releasing RFPs, evaluating proposals, awarding contracts, monitoring satellite construction, selecting the launch vehicle, and even conducting in-orbit testing.”
This background made him a natural fit for NSG, where he now leads satellite operations.
“NSG is a startup but backed by PIF and positioned as Saudi Arabia’s national space champion. That made it an exciting challenge to be part of.”
Challenges of satellite operations
Almurshed describes satellite operations as highly complex, requiring constant attention to scale, technology and global coverage.
“One of the biggest challenges is orbital congestion, with the growing number of satellites making collision avoidance and debris management increasingly difficult,” he said.
Radio frequency interference is another major issue. “Managing electromagnetic signals to avoid interference, both between satellites and with ground stations, is becoming more challenging, especially with the emergence of new constellations that block certain frequency bands. The ITU is doing a good job regulating this, but it’s still in the early stages once it comes to the impact of Non GSO satellites, i.e. LEOs.”
Sustainability is also a growing worry. “There are increasing worries about the environmental impact of satellites, particularly space debris,” Almurshed noted. “This will affect the future of satellite missions if not managed properly.”
Opportunities in global connectivity
Despite the challenges, Almurshed sees huge opportunities, especially in bridging the global digital divide.
“This is what LEO and GEO satellites are mainly aiming for, providing services to rural areas and developing nations, closing the global digital divide.
Advances in software-defined satellites are also a game changer. ““For example, the new generation of satellites could be reconfigured in orbit to cover changing customer behaviour and market demand. That leads to better utilisation of satellite capacity.”
Satellite-powered aviation connectivity
One of the fastest-growing applications of satellite technology is in-flight connectivity.
“I believe satellite communications in the aviation sector are evolving rapidly, driven by advancements in payload technology and increasing passenger demand,” Almurshed said. “This brings connectivity to passengers throughout their flight and enables airlines to offer various entertainment options, like online streaming, gaming, and live events.”
Coverage is key.
“In the past, air-to-ground networks had coverage gaps over oceans and rural areas. With SATCOM, those coverage gaps are eliminated, providing continuous global connectivity throughout the flight.”
Scaling in-flight connectivity comes with technical challenges. “Having the bandwidth available in the satellite itself is key, but also, Wi-Fi and modem tools inside the aircraft need upgrading to higher versions that allow for higher-speed connections. The number of passengers also plays a role, we need to ensure bandwidth is allocated efficiently so all passengers can have a high-speed experience.”
Almurshed sees satellites playing a crucial role in Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, particularly in economic diversification and technological self-sufficiency
“As part of Vision 2030, Saudi Arabia is investing in space technology and integrating satellites into key sectors like infrastructure, communications, defence, and scientific research.”
By developing local capabilities, NSG is helping Saudi Arabia move from a space consumer to a space leader.
LEAP: A hub for innovation
Reflecting on the recent LEAP 2025 conference, Almurshed highlighted its role in showcasing emerging technologies.
“As usual, it’s a very interesting event, and the good thing is, I hear this from colleagues coming from other countries,” he said. “They spend more time here and I end up learning more about LEAP from them!”
