A group of employees of the Bahrain Space Agency participated in the joint workshop between the United Nations Office for outer Space Affairs (UNOSA) and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) under the title “From submitting the files of the International Telecommunication Union to the registration of the UN satellite bodies: the lifestyle of the satellite”, which was held over two days in Vienna and Geneva. The workshop aimed to enhance the understanding of integrated regulatory measures for satellite registration, starting with the coordination of radio frequencies with the International Telecommunication Union before launch, to the registration of space objects at the United Nations Office for outer Space Affairs in accordance with the United Nations treaties.
On this participation, the agency’s CEO, Dr. Mohamed Ibrahim Al -Asiri: “The workshop, which included two main sessions, dealt with very important axes, and was divided into a session concerned with the regulatory framework for the registration of satellite frequencies of the International Telecommunication Union and the management of the spectrum and orbit resources.
As D. Muhammad Jassim Al -Othman, the agency’s advisor, on the exceptional benefit from the agents from the technical sessions on the coordination of the radio spectrum and mechanisms for reporting jamming. This knowledge will be reflected directly on the development of Bahraini regulatory frameworks, and to ensure the harmony of our space projects with international requirements.
While Professor Rasha Al -Amad, Head of Strategic Planning at the Agency, commented: “The workshop has highlighted the integration between the legal and technical aspects of satellite management, especially in its final stages and the transfer of ownership. The international legislation in which the Kingdom of Bahrain is agreed upon.
For her part, Sheikha Hessa Bint Ali Al Khalifa, from legal affairs in the agency, expressed the importance of participation, explaining that “this workshop represents a basic pillar in enhancing our capabilities in managing the satellite life cycle according to the finest international standards. Our participation confirms the Kingdom of Bahrain’s commitment to its active role in developing its space systems, and building partnerships that support our vision of a sustainable space economy.”
On the most prominent repercussions of participation on the agency’s work, space engineer Yaqoub Al -Qassab said: “We were assigned by the agency’s executive management to translate the workshop outputs into developing integrated national policies for satellite registration, and raising the efficiency of technical teams in dealing with the requirements of the International Telecommunication Union and the United Nations, and formulating a mechanism that enhances cooperation with international bodies in space projects with a commercial and legal dimension.”
It is worth noting that this workshop is a pioneering model for complementarity between international efforts in the space sector, where the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) coordinates the use of radio frequencies to ensure the immediate satellite operation without overlap, while the United Nations Office for outer Space Affairs (UNOSA) runs “the record of absolute bodies in outer space” and coordinates the space traffic management to enhance transparency and confidence between Countries, in line with the outer space treaty. The cooperation of the two sides facilitates the countries and commercial parties to adhere to international legislation, and supports the growth of the global space sector with transparency and sustainability.
