Thuraya Telecommunications Company, a subsidiary of the Al Yah Satellite Communications Company (Yahsat), has partnered with ITC Global to set up Thuraya VSAT+, the ground-breaking maritime satellite service.

Space Systems Loral (SSL), a Maxar Technologies company, and a leading provider of innovative satellites and spacecraft systems, has announced that the Nusantara Satu communications satellite, built for Indonesian satellite operator PT Pasifik Satelit Nusantara (PSN), is successfully performing post-launch maneuvers according to plan.

On 21 February 2019 in Paris, France, in the presence of Frédérique Vidal, the French Minister for Higher Education, Research and Innovation, the Centre national d'études spatiales (CNES) President Jean-Yves Le Gall and ArianeGroup CEO André-Hubert Roussel signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to create an acceleration platform dedicated to the preparation of future launchers.

Space IL has successfully launched the first private spacecraft to the Moon. A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched from Cape Canaveral in Florida on Thursday, 21 February 2019, carrying the Beresheet spacecraft. Beresheet, meaning beginning or genesis in Hebrew, will land on the lunar surface in approximately sixty days and will make Israel the fourth country to land a spacecraft on the Moon.

Egypt’s latest high-resolution Earth observation satellite, EGYPTSAT-A, was successfully launched on board a Soyuz launch vehicle with a Fregat upper stage from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan late on 21 February 2019.

Eutelsat Communications and Afghanistan Broadcasting System (ABS) have signed a multi-year, multi-transponder contract for video capacity on the EUTELSAT-53A satellite.

By Blaine Curcio and Tianyi Lan .Many would correctly say that much of the innovation in the Western space industry over the past decade has occurred because of the private sector.

SES Networks’ managed services will boost connectivity for Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) services of the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) provided to EU Member States and Agencies. These maritime surveillance activities supported by SES Networks are aimed at improving maritime security and safety operations, as well as response to pollution caused by ships, oil and gas installations.

Eutelsat Communications has signed simultaneous multi-year contracts with the Ethiopian Broadcasting Corporation and the Association of Ethiopian Broadcasters for video capacity on its EUTELSAT-8 West B satellite. The aggregate of these contracts represents multi-transponder capacity, including incremental resources.

Es'hailSat, Qatar Satellite Company and BridgeSat have announced a strategic relationship that will provide businesses and governments across the Middle East with affordable access to laser-based satellite broadband services.