Geopolitics

European Space Imaging (EUSI) has announced a multi-million euro investment into their ground station at the German Aerospace Center (DLR) near Munich. This strategic upgrade extends EUSI's ability to deliver imagery with remarkable speed and efficiency, solidifying its claim to the position as a hub for the best satellite imagery technology in Europe.

Data from the European Space Agency (ESA)’s exoplanet mission Cheops has led to the surprising revelation that an ultra-hot exoplanet that orbits its host star in less than a day is covered by reflective clouds of metal, making it the shiniest exoplanet ever found.

The United Kingdom and European Union have agreed to a draft agreement regarding Britain’s re-entry into the Horizon Europe research program. Britain formally left all three schemes when it quit the EU in January 2020, and discussions to re-associate as a third country proved difficult. As a result, the European Commission blocked the British researchers' participation until the UK resolved a post-Brexit row over Northern Ireland’s trading arrangements.

Space Café "Law Breakfast with Steven Freeland" will analyse current space developments with a legal focus. It will, at the same time discuss and ‘demystify’ the law for everyone. In our next Space Café “Law Breakfast with Steven Freeland”, Host Steven Freeland, Emeritus Professor of International Law at Western Sydney University, Sydney and Professorial Fellow at Bond University, Australia, and Co-Host Torsten Kriening, SpaceWatch.Global’s Publisher, welcome Axelle Cartier and Dr. Ingo Baumann.

In this Space Café Radio - SpaceWatch.Global contributor Remco Timmermans spoke with Einar Bjørgo,  Director, United Nations Satellite Centre (UNOSAT)at GLOC - the Global Space Conference on Climate Change in Oslo in May 2023 about the center, the role of UNOSAT and the ways of activation. The Global Space Conference on Climate Change was co-organized by IAF, the International Astronautical Federation, and the Norwegian Space Agency.

The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) has announced that it will launch its third lunar mission, Chandrayaan-3, on July 14, 2023, from Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota. Furthermore, the payload will launch aboard the Research Organization's new heavy-lift launch vehicle LVM. 

GMV, a technological business group, announced on the 5th of July that they have been awarded six projects selected by the European Defence Fund (EDF) under the second call of the EDF program. In the second call for proposals the Commission has supported a total of 41 joint defence research and development projects across the European Union, with a total budget of 832 million euros in funding.

Rivada Space Networks has announced that the International Telecommunications Union (ITU)’s Radio Regulations Board has waived the requirement that Rivada put 10% of its constellation into orbit this year.

On 21-23 June 2023, the Directorate-General of Legal Affairs of the German Federal Ministry of Defence hosted the Conference on the “McGill Manual on the International Law Applicable to Military Uses of Outer Space” (MILAMOS). The three-day event was organised at the Federal Academy for Security Policy (Bundesakademie für Sicherheitspolitik, BAKS), and held at the historic Schönhausen Palace in Berlin, Germany.

OQ Technology has won an ESA € 1.1 Million contract to design, build, integrate, test and demonstrate three advanced nanosatellites. The satellites will feature multiple payloads providing space-based 5G narrowband internet-of-things communications services and optical communications link. Furthermore, they will include hyperspectral Earth observation data to support precision agriculture as part of the ERMIS mission.