Neo Space Group CEO Martijn Blanken. Photo: NSG

Saudi Arabia’s flagship space company, Neo Space Group, has grown quickly since it was established around 18 months ago, making acquisitions in Earth Observation (EO) and in-flight connectivity (IFC). In this interview, NSG CEO Martijn Blanken, discusses how the overall landscape has changed since the formation of NSG and the technologies and trends influencing NSG’s roadmap as it looks toward 2026.

With an increased focus on sovereignty in space as countries around the world look at the space supply chains in more detail, Blanken talks about the role that NSG plays in sovereign space for Saudi Arabia, and how the company is evaluating the emerging direct-to-device (D2D) landscape.

VIA SATELLITE: What do you think are the most defining changes in the space landscape the past year or so since NSG was founded? 

Blanken: The changes have been quite material, even dramatic. The rise of SpaceX and Starlink has been faster than most people anticipated or projected, and that has certainly made many players nervous. Their ability to vertically integrate has been very impressive. With their latest move into the direct-to-device market, that anxiety will likely grow further.

Secondly, among the more traditional players, value creation has largely focused on reducing costs. The primary way to achieve that is through consolidation — and we’ve seen several of those moves continuing across the sector.

Thirdly, there’s been a sharp increase in the demand for sovereign capabilities, both in satellite communications and geospatial domains. Companies like Iceye are doing remarkably well in this regard. This trend reflects a broader shift – nations no longer want to be dependent on others for critical space infrastructure. The desire to control their own destiny has always existed, but it has become much more pronounced over the last 12 to 18 months. 

VIA SATELLITE: A lot of the talk in 2025 has been centered around satellite tech becoming more mainstream. Clear evidence of this has been the D2D market. What are your thoughts on this and how does this fit into Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 goals?

Blanken: D2D has two main use cases, along with a few sub use cases. The first involves having a non-jammable device that can be used in situations of crisis or emergency. The second is consumer connectivity in areas where terrestrial networks have limited reach. While these cases are not mutually exclusive, they are quite different, and not easy to accommodate. With Geostationary Orbit (GEO) satellites, achieving consistent D2D coverage is challenging, particularly if you want to support multiple use cases. At the same time, operating a dedicated Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) constellation for a single country is impractical, as those satellites will inevitably pass over other nations’ territories.

In the consumer market, the D2D evolution will be fascinating to watch. There are complex issues around terrestrial versus space spectrum. For instance, AST SpaceMobile has built promising technology, though still largely unproven — yet it already carries a market cap north of $30 billion. Saudi Arabia is actively exploring all options, but I think it’s wise that the country is not putting all its eggs in one basket. You’ll see a more measured and strategic approach emerging here. 

VIA SATELLITE: With Saudi Arabia hosting major global events over the next few years including the World Expo in 2030 and FIFA World Cup in 2034, do you think these events will act as a showcase for the latest satellite tech for NSG?

Blanken: These events are colossal milestones for the Kingdom, yet Saudi Arabia’s ambitions in space remain equally paramount. Even without such global showcases, including the 2029 Asian Winter Games, the country’s trajectory toward becoming a leading global space power would continue to accelerate.

That said, space technologies will play a critical role in enabling these events in two main ways. First, during the preparation phase, geospatial intelligence will be essential for planning and constructing new infrastructure — stadiums, transportation networks, and urban developments — far more efficiently than through traditional methods.

During the events themselves, satellite technologies will deliver advanced connectivity in remote or high-density areas where terrestrial networks may fall short. Space-based broadband, narrowband, and D2D services will work together seamlessly to support millions of users, serving as real-world demonstrations of Saudi Arabia’s growing space capabilities.

VIA SATELLITE: There’s been increasing discussion about sovereignty and space-based security intelligence in 2025. Given the current geopolitical context, how central is this to NSG’s strategy?

Blanken: It’s absolutely central. For most satellite operators, national sovereignty is a key consideration, and no player operates purely on commercial grounds. There’s always a degree of dependency on a nation-state, and on demand from the defense and intelligence community within that state. Saudi Arabia is no exception. Typically, sovereign capacity comes first, and any excess capacity is then used for commercial purposes, and that’s true across the globe.

At NSG, we’ve developed a “sovereignty readiness level” model, recognizing that sovereignty can mean different things to different countries. The highest level of sovereignty would mean designing and manufacturing all active satellite components domestically, including full MAIT (manufacturing, assembly, integration, and testing) capabilities. That’s a long-term goal, but one I fully expect Saudi Arabia to pursue over the next decade. NSG is structured to play a key role in enabling that.

VIA SATELLITE: We are seeing countries want more independence in space. How important is for Saudi Arabia to have strong independence in this area?

Blanken: It’s extremely important, easily at the upper end of the scale. Space expenditures are often closely tied to defense budgets, and Saudi Arabia consistently ranks among the top 10 globally, sometimes even top five, in defense spending. Historically, much of that spending went overseas. Around a decade ago, Saudi Arabia made the strategic decision to build a domestic defense industry, not only to stimulate economic growth but to have greater control over its own future. The same logic now applies to the space sector, and that’s precisely why NSG was established.

VIA SATELLITE: AI has become increasingly mainstream. Given NSG’s foundation in advanced satellite technologies, how are you applying AI today, and what’s the roadmap for 2026?

Blanken: AI can mean many things, but if we define it as using machine learning to analyze vast datasets and extract actionable insights — then yes, we are using it extensively in our geospatial domain.

Our geospatial services team analyzes huge volumes of optical, radar, hyperspectral, and multispectral data to deliver insights to customers, primarily in the defense and intelligence sectors, but also for civilian applications. That’s one of the key reasons we acquired UP42: it connects satellite and ground-based data providers through a single marketplace, and we’re now embedding analytics directly into that platform. Clients can integrate their own algorithms or use NSG’s built-in AI models. In short, AI is becoming fundamental to the geospatial business. The more powerful our analytics, the more value our data delivers.

In satellite communications, AI applications are less obvious but still valuable for network operations, predictive maintenance, and collision avoidance. These are more OpEx-driven than revenue-driven, but they’re still important in building efficient and resilient systems.

VIA SATELLITE: Are you looking at quantum technologies?

Blanken: Yes, though with realistic expectations. Quantum computing is widely discussed, and while there are reported breakthroughs, many experts believe we’re still a decade away from true commercial viability.

However, quantum principles could eventually enhance compute power in space, allowing satellites to process data onboard, reducing uplink and downlink demands. The challenge, of course, is power: more compute power requires more energy, which means larger, heavier, and more expensive satellites. Balancing those factors is an ongoing challenge.

We’re a young company, just 18 months old, and while we’re exploring these areas, we don’t yet have concrete use cases. But it’s certainly part of our future roadmap.

VIA SATELLITE: At recent conferences, it seems there have been two major talking points, D2D and the defense market, given NATO nations commitment to ramp up spending. How do you view the defense market for NSG? Will there be more activity here than originally thought?

 Blanken: The defense opportunity is substantial — whether larger than originally expected is hard to quantify, but it’s certainly growing in importance. Defense communications must be resilient: they can’t be jammed, hacked, or spoofed. That extends beyond the satellites themselves to the terminal technologies on the ground, which are equally critical.

The key question is how dependent a nation wants to remain on existing foreign vendors. Right now, Saudi Arabia has limited alternatives, but that is changing. We’re increasingly being drawn into discussions about contributing to these capabilities and helping develop local solutions.

As a result, NSG’s initial scope has started to expand. That’s exciting, but it also presents challenges — we can only pursue so many priorities at once. Still, I would say the defense segment is proving to be even more significant than I first anticipated.

VIA SATELLITE: At a recent EO panel at WSBW, most of the EO players talked of pivoting more to the defense market, and away from the commercial market. What shifts are you seeing in the EO market since the acquisition of UP42?

 Blanken: UP42 still generates most of its revenue from the commercial sector, and that market continues to grow strongly. The defense and government markets are growing faster, yes, but both segments are thriving. We acquired UP42 primarily for its non-defense and intelligence commercial opportunities, and that strategy is working well.

VIA SATELLITE: One of the other key discussions this year has been the role of multi-orbit solutions for customers. Given what we are seeing in the LEO market, why do you believe multi-orbit solutions will have a strong future?

Blanken: Simply put, no LEO constellation will ever secure landing rights everywhere. That’s the reality. For truly global coverage — especially in mobility sectors like aviation — you need multi-orbit systems combining GEO, LEO, and Medium-Earth Orbit (MEO). Our global in-flight connectivity (IFC) services, for example, include strong coverage in China and India. Multi-orbit is the only way to deliver truly seamless global connectivity.

VIA SATELLITE: The IFC market has been an interesting one with a number of airlines choosing new providers in 2025. Are there a lot of RFPs out there right now? Have the dynamics of this market changed in recent times?

Blanken: There is a lot of movement in this market. It is very clear that LEO capabilities have shown they have a right to exist in this market, and probably more than that. They have shown that they can provide very compelling solutions. It is also clear that the developments are going much faster than people expected. So, going from a very average sub-standard connectivity solution where you can send a few messages to an ability to have Teams meetings and FaceTime calls on video is a very big step forward. Bandwidth is one aspect. But, the focus on passenger experience is much more than that. I see a shift that airlines want to do more than just provide internet access to its customers. This can include entertainment and links to platforms. For example, airlines can allow their passengers to use their frequent flyer points to purchase duty free goods and have it delivered when they land. This goes well beyond basic connectivity. Delivering that kind of experience requires much more than just satellites.

VIA SATELLITE: How are you looking to build the momentum of NSG’s first full year as we head into 2026?

Blanken: Our focus is threefold. First, we aim to make several significant announcements within Saudi Arabia itself. Second, in geospatial, we’re transitioning from project-based work to subscription-based models, where customers can access insights continuously through our new platform.

Third, as LEO operators seek entry into this region, we intend to position NSG as their trusted local partner — bridging global technology and Saudi sovereignty. Our goal is to deliver the best possible experience to users here in the Kingdom.