Following quickly on the heels of their expansive space cooperation agreement signed last month, India and France are moving forward by holding detailed talks about building and sending interplanetary probes to Mars and Venus in the coming years.
Read More »Bangladesh’s Bangabandhu-1 Satellite Due for 4th May Launch from Cape Canaveral
Bangladesh's first satellite, the Bangabandhu-1 communications satellite, is set to be launched on board a SpaceX Falcon-9 space launch vehicle from Cape Canaveral, Florida, on 4 May 2018, according to Mohammed Mezbahuzzaman, project director of the satellite programme.
Read More »China Opens Beidou Satellite Navigation Centre in Tunisia
China has opened its first overseas centre to promote its Beidou satellite navigation system (BDS) in Tunis, the capital city of Tunisia, on 10 April 2018.
Read More »Japan’s Sony Corporation to Enter Satellite Optical Communications Market
Japan's Sony Corporation is seeking to enter the New Space sector by manufacturing optical communication devices for small satellites, based on Sony's decades-long experience in manufacturing compact disc (CD) players. This marks a diversification of Sony's business empire, and it is also a strong signal that Japan's great trading houses and companies are looking for opportunities in the New Space sector in Japan and abroad.
Read More »UAE’s Thuraya Launches X5-Touch, World’s Smallest Satellite Phone
UAE’s Thuraya Telecommunications Company has announced the launch of its X5-Touch satellite phone, the world’s smallest, in its attempt to become a market leader in the satellite communications user market.
Read More »#SpaceWatchGL Op’Ed: Insight – Global Proliferation of Counterspace Capabilities and Space Sustainability
SpaceWatch.Global is a proud partner of the Secure World Foundation, and a greateful recipient of SWF support. The SWF published a new report on 11 April 2018 titled Global Counterspace Capabilities: An Open Source Assessment that provides an exhaustive, comprehensive, incisive, and useful open source guide to global counterspace capabilities and developments, as well as analysis of their implications. Here, the authors of that report, Victoria Samson and Brian Weeden, summarise the study and provide a broader geopolitical context about its importance.
Read More »Israel’s Spacecom to Buy AMOS-8 Through Bonds As Buyout Attempt Expires
Israel's Spacecom plans to pay for its AMOS-8 communications satellite by raising U.S.$110 million through collateral bonds and bond options, just as the bid by IDB Development Corporation Ltd. to buyout Spacecom’s parent company has expired.
Read More »Japan Considering Military Space Developments With Launch of DSN-1 MILSATCOM Payload
A Japanese military satellite payload, DSN-1, a dedicated military communications payload for the Japanese Ministry of Defence (MoD), was successfully launched into orbit on-board a SKY Perfect JSAT Superbird-8 communications satellite by Arianespace on 5 April 2018.
Read More »Nigeria’s Vodacom Business Taps Intelsat to Provide Satellite Broadband In West Africa
Intelsat, the world's largest satellite communications provider, has signed a deal with Vodacom Business Nigeria to help bridge the digital divide throughout West Africa, expanding its enterprise broadband networks and enabling new and enhanced services throughout the region.
Read More »Russia’s SkolTech to Host SpaceUp Unconference on 21 April 2018
SpaceUp is a worldwide leading space exploration ‘unconference’ platform specifically designed for free exchange of new and interdisciplinary ideas. It brings together students, researchers, entrepreneurs, astronauts, cosmonauts, and space enthusiasts to network, learn, and actively interchange interesting space ideas. Participants can talk or present on any chosen space-related topic from any discipline like astrophysics, cosmology, engineering, biochemistry, human physiology, business, law, policy, arts, culture, fiction, etc.
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