Page 36 - SAMENA Trends - May-June 2023

REGIONAL & MEMBERS UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

startups in their growth stage. It aims to local content and enable digital cyber startups in their endeavors by linking them
help them grow their business, increase projects, as it witnessed the organization with investors and venture capitalists
revenues, and improve their competitive of several workshops and specialized in the market. The value of the free
advantage in the market to achieve a technical advisory sessions. inspireU is services it provides startups is about 600
prosperous and technologically advanced a leading business accelerator in Saudi thousand riyals. In addition, the program
future based on strategic investments Arabia, providing local entrepreneurs with provides entrepreneurs with office space,
and sustainable growth”. The ninth batch a network of successful entrepreneurs promotes their startups, and provides
of the program included a special track and mentors, logistical and advisory opportunities to participate in the most
that supports startups in the field of services, financial support, and access important events, from workshops to
cybersecurity in cooperation with sirar by to an intensive training program provided national and international exhibitions.
stc, the digital provider of cybersecurity by experts and consultants from Silicon
services. This track aims to promote Valley. inspireU accelerator supports

Arabsat Badr-8 Successfully Launched: Featuring
Airbus’ Innovative Optical Communications
Payload TELEO

The Airbus-built Arabsat Badr-8
telecommunications satellite has
been successfully launched from Cape
Canaveral, Florida. Based on Airbus’ latest
geostationary Eurostar Neo satellite, Badr-
8 will provide connectivity for users across
Europe, Middle East, Africa, and central
Asia. The spacecraft is also equipped
with a world first, Airbus’ innovative space
demonstrator TELEO to provide space to
ground optical communications at gigabit
speeds. The TELEO demonstrator payload
is designed to facilitate very highcapacity
optical feeder link communications, playing
a crucial role in Airbus’ development of a
new generation of optical communications
technology in space. Jean Marc Nasr,
Head of Space Systems said: “Marking
our third successful launch of the Eurostar
Neo series and our eighth spacecraft
built for Arabsat, Badr-8, equipped with
the very innovative TELEO payload, is the
latest major milestone for our telecoms
business. Featuring increased payload
capacity and more efficient power and
thermal control systems, Badr-8 will
replace and increase Arabsat’s capacity.
Following the successful launch and
separation, Badr-8 is using its electric
propulsion system to reach geostationary
orbit at 36,000 km. The satellite will then
undergo a comprehensive testing period
in geostationary orbit before entering achieved more than 1,300 years of supported by the UK Space Agency and
full service. With a launch mass of 4.5 service in orbit. Airbus’ Eurostar Neo other agencies across Europe. The TELEO
tons and 17.8 kW of power, the satellite platform has been developed in the frame demonstrator payload was developed with
is designed to operate in orbit for 15 of the European Space Agency's (ESA) support from CNES.
years. Airbus’ ultra-reliable geostationary Partnership Projects, together with the
telecommunications satellites have French space agency CNES, and strongly

36 MAY-JUNE 2023