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DE RUEHRH #1629/01 3500714
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P 160714Z DEC 09
FM AMEMBASSY RIYADH
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2075
INFO RUEHZM/GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEHRC/DEPT OF AGRICULTURE WASHDC PRIORITY
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UNCLAS RIYADH 001629 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR NEA/ARP AND OES/SAT 
NASA FOR MICHAEL O'BRIEN AND PATRICK BESHA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: TSPL TSPA EIND SENV SA
SUBJECT: NASA ASSISTANT ADMINISTRATOR EXPANDS SPACE 
COLLABORATION WITH SAUDI ARABIA 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary:  NASA Assistant Administrator O'Brien's 
December 8 - 10 visit to Riyadh reinvigorated collaboration 
between NASA and KACST, Saudi Arabia's science ministry. 
During the visit, KACST and NASA signed a joint statement 
recognizing the Saudi Lunar and Near Earth Object Science 
Center as an affiliate partner with the NASA Lunar Science 
Institute at Ames Research Center, California.  The warm, 
positive atmosphere surrounding O'Brien's visit was an 
indication of the Saudis' eagerness to expand its cooperation 
with NASA.  Tours of KACST's facilities highlighted the 
Kingdom's commitment to its research programs, and 
demonstrated Saudi capabilities as a key regional player in 
NASA's outreach to non-traditional partners.  NASA and KACST 
agreed to explore collaboration in several areas, including 
developing a statement of intent for potential signature 
during NASA Administrator Bolden's tentative visit to Riyadh 
for the twenty-fifth anniversary of Prince Sultan bin 
Salman's participation in the Discovery mission in June 2010. 
 KACST's enthusiasm and demonstrated commitment bodes well 
for future bilateral science and technology collaboration, 
which was encouraged by President Obama in his Cairo speech. 
End summary. 
 
¶2. (SBU) NASA's Assistant Administrator for External 
Relations Michael O'Brien visited Riyadh December 8 - 10 for 
meetings with the King Abdulaziz City for Science and 
Technology (KACST) and with former astronaut Prince Sultan 
bin Salman Al-Saud, now the head of Saudi Arabia's Commission 
for Tourism and Antiquities.  Prince Sultan told O'Brien he 
hoped NASA Administrator Charles Bolden would travel to 
Riyadh for the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Discovery 
mission in June 2010.  Sultan is the first and only Saudi in 
space, and is passionate about reuniting the crew from the 
1985 Discovery mission in which he participated.  Sultan also 
expressed his interest in bringing the Discovery to Saudi 
Arabia once it is retired from NASA's fleet.  O'Brien 
explained that U.S. institutions would first have the 
opportunity to host the shuttle before international bidders 
were considered.  Asked about Saudi participation on the 
international space station, O'Brien said the space station 
was fully functional and handed over information for 
potential researchers.  Sultan shared several fond anecdotes 
from his time in the United States, and said our bilateral 
relationship "needs to detox" through reinvigorated 
educational and scientific exchanges to rebuild the high 
level of trust we once shared. 
 
¶3. (SBU) Vice President for Research Institutes Prince Turki 
Al-Saud personally hosted O'Brien in Riyadh after having met 
during the December 3 - 4 Science and Technology Agreement 
Space Working Group meeting in Washington, as well as during 
the December 7 - 9 Global Space Technology Forum in Abu 
Dhabi.  On December 9, KACST and NASA signed a joint 
statement recognizing the Saudi Lunar and Near Earth Object 
Science Center as an affiliate partner with the NASA Lunar 
Science Institute at Ames Research Center, California. 
O'Brien also visited KACST's National Satellite Technology 
Program, Solar Village, Laser Ranging station, and 
Electronics, Communications, and Photonics research 
facilities.  KACST plans on creating up to 15 Technology 
Implementation Centers (TICs) to commercialize scientific 
discoveries and spur Saudi universities to expand their 
research activities.  Dr. Turki said KACST planned to expand 
its facilities from four to 27 buildings, and its workforce 
from 2,500 to 12,000, by 2014.  Dr. Turki and several 
scientists in the National Satellite Technology Program 
expressed their desire for increased exchanges and 
collaboration with NASA's Ames Research Center in California, 
with which the Saudis have a historic relationship. 
 
¶4. (SBU) NASA and KACST agreed to explore potential 
cooperation in the following areas: 
 
-- Draft a statement of intent outlining specific areas of 
potential cooperation, which could be signed during the NASA 
Administrator's tentative June 2010 visit. 
-- Renew the expired Satellite Laser Ranging agreement. 
-- Complete and sign an AERONET agreement between KACST and 
NASA. 
-- Develop a scholarship program similar to NASA's program 
with the UAE. 
-- Collaborate on carbon monitoring. 
-- Conduct joint research on small satellites. 
-- Conduct research on the International Space Station. 
 
-- Conduct science collaboration with the NASA Lunar Science 
Institute. 
 
¶5. (SBU) Comment:  The Saudis, and Dr. Turki in particular, 
seem sincerely committed to expanding their space program and 
clearly see NASA as a key partner in this expansion.  Dr. 
Turki is a Stanford University graduate who knows U.S. 
science and technology infrastructure inside and out.  The 
amount of personal time spent with O'Brien, as well as the 
focus on tangible results, was a strong indicator that KACST 
is serious about partnering with the United States, and NASA 
in particular.  The Embassy strongly endorses this 
partnership as a tangible demonstration of our implementation 
of the President's Cairo speech agenda. 
 
¶6. (U) NASA Assistant Administrator O'Brien cleared on this 
cable. 
ZIADEH