GeoEye-1 Commercial Operations in Saudi Arabia

GeoEye‘s Regional Affiliate, King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST) began directly downlinking high-resolution satellite imagery from the GeoEye-1 Earth-imaging satellite. In addition to directly acquiring GeoEye-1 imagery, KACST will be able to provide other GeoEye-1 imagery and value-added products to its customers. KACST has the exclusive right to sell GeoEye-1 imagery in Saudi Arabia and the nonexclusive right to sell GeoEye-1 imagery outside of Saudi Arabia.

KACST is an independent scientific organisation of the Saudi Arabian government located in Riyadh. It has been GeoEye's partner and Regional Affiliate for IKONOS satellite imagery collection and distribution since September 2002.

"GeoEye-1 satellite imagery will be an important component of KACST's effort to create new strategic partnerships and expand our strategic presence in the oil and gas, energy, mining, infrastructure and national, state and local government markets," said Dr. Abdulaziz Almadi, director, Space Research Institute for KACST. "The satellite's highly accurate, unprecedented resolution and color imagery will also be beneficial to our ongoing scientific research and operational applications."

"KACST has been an important IKONOS anchor tenant for GeoEye over the past eight years," said Mr. Matthew O'Connell, GeoEye's chief executive officer and president. "We share the same vision of excellence, which is one of the reasons our relationship has grown and will continue to prosper with this new commitment to market and distribute GeoEye-1 imagery."