US-BRICS Final Frontier: Bahrain Puts Its Foot In the Race
Bahrain is effectively working to bring the US-led world order to space.
On 15th March, Bahrain successfully launched its own satellite, Al-Munther, aboard a SpaceX rocket in California. It is the first satellite designed and developed in the country, and the first to use artificial intelligence for ‘onboard image processing’. Led by the National Space Science Agency (NSSA), the project is a manifestation of the Abraham Accords cooperation and symbolises deeper strategic alignment with Washington in the space frontier of regional competition and international diplomacy.
Measuring Up
If Bahrain is the new entrant in the Middle Eastern space arena, Iran is the seasoned veteran. Iran launched Omid, its first satellite, in 2009, marking the beginning of the Islamic Republic's burgeoning space programme, which is arguably one of the most advanced in the region. That Tehran was able to achieve such progress despite nearly half a century of sanctions is remarkable.
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