SHAMS (satellite)
.jpg) Technician inspects the Saudi Space Agency’s Shams. | |
| Operator | Saudi Space Agency |
|---|---|
| COSPAR ID | 2026-069C |
| SATCAT no. | 68540 |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Bus | 12U CubeSat |
| Manufacturer | Saudi Space Agency |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | April 1, 2026, 22:35:00 UTC (6:35 pm EDT)[1][2] |
| Rocket | Space Launch System |
| Launch site | LC-39B |
| Contractor | NASA |
| Orbital parameters | |
| Reference system | Geocentric orbit |
| Regime | High Earth orbit |
| Perigee altitude | 493 km (306 mi) |
| Apogee altitude | 70,235 km (43,642 mi) |
 SHAMS's mission patch | |
SHAMS (Arabic: شمس, meaning: Sun) (or SHMS[3], also referred to as Space Weather CubeSat-1 (SWC-1)[4]) is a 12U CubeSat developed by Saudi Arabia's Space Agency as a rideshare payload on the Artemis II mission.[5] The probe's primary mission is to study the effects of space weather in the cislunar environment outside of Earth's magnetic field.
Background
[edit source]In July 2024, Saudi Arabia and the United States signed a framework agreement to promote space cooperation between the two countries.[6] In part due to this agreement, a Saudi rideshare mission was selected for Artemis II during Donald Trump's state visit to Saudi Arabia on May 14, 2025.[6] SHAMS is also meant to demonstrate Saudi abilities to manufacturer and operate satellites, as part of Vision 2030.[6][7] The Satellite was manufactured by the National Industrial Development and Logistics Program, a Saudi program specifically designed to increase its aerospace industry capacity.[7]
Mission
[edit source]
SWC-1 · Earth
SHAMS will collect data on the impact of solar activity on the Earth's magnetosphere to help enhance techniques to keep humans safe in space and improve communication abilities.[6][7][8] The CubeSat is designed to measure radiation, solar X-rays, charged particles, and magnetic fields in high Earth orbit.[9][10][11]
On Saturday, April 3, the SSA would announce that the probes name was Shams despite all NASA documentation naming it the SWC-1.[8][5] In the same press release the SSA gave more information on the probe's mission, outlining it's elliptical high-earth-orbit as being between 500 km to 70,000 km and that the space weather studies will help develop the reliability of communications, aviation, and navigation technologies.[5]
See also
[edit source]References
[edit source]- ↑ "Artemis II Mission Availability PDF" (PDF). nasa.gov. Retrieved January 10, 2026.
- ↑ Clark, Stephen (February 21, 2026). "NASA says it needs to haul the Artemis II rocket back to the hangar for repairs". Ars Technica. Retrieved February 22, 2026.
- ↑ "The "SHMS" satellite mission to study space weather". ssa.gov.sa. Retrieved 2026-04-16.
- ↑ "REFERENCE GUIDE for ARTEMIS II SPACE LAUNCH SYSTEM" (PDF). NASA.
- 1 2 3 "Saudi Arabia Achieves Historic Milestone with Launch of 'Shams' Satellite Aboard Artemis II Mission". Saudi Press Agency. Retrieved 5 April 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 "Saudi Space Agency Signs Agreement with NASA to Launch Saudi Satellite on Artemis II Mission". Saudi Press Agency. Retrieved 3 April 2026.
- 1 2 3 "Saudi Space Agency and NASA Sign Artemis II Agreement to Launch Scientific Satellite, Advancing Global Cooperation in Space for the Benefit of Humanity". Saudi Space Agency. Retrieved 3 April 2026.
- 1 2 "NASA's SLS Rocket: Secondary Payloads". NASA. Retrieved 3 April 2026.
- ↑ "Artemis II Crew Both Subjects and Scientists in NASA Deep Space Research". NASA. Retrieved 3 April 2026.
- ↑ Kraft, Rachel H. "NASA to Fly Saudi Arabia CubeSat Aboard Artemis II Test Flight". NASA. Retrieved 3 April 2026.
- ↑ Dickinson, David. "Artemis 2 Mission Launches for Trip Around the Moon". Sky & Telescope. Retrieved 3 April 2026.
External links
[edit source]- Mission SHAMS on Saudi Space Agency – Detailed page on the Shams mission.
- Official website of the Saudi Space Agency – Home page of the organization behind the Shams mission.
