Al Yah Satellite Communications Company has announced the appointment of Amit Somani as Chief Growth and Strategy Officer. Mr. Somani, a veteran of the satellite communications industry, rejoins Yahsat with over 27 years of experience in satellite communications and management consulting. He already has extensive knowledge of Yahsat across various roles during his previous tenure with the company from 2010 to 2022. These included Vice President of Strategy and Business Development and, most recently, Chief Strategy Officer from 2014 to 2022.

The Research Institute for Innovation and Sustainability (RIIS) has become the interim host for the pan-African Digital Earth Africa Program Management Office, a free platform providing satellite imagery and products specific to the African continent. Digital Earth Africa is on track to improve the lives of African people and support decision-makers across the continent to assess, plan, and protect their countries from the potential impacts of climate change.

GPS signals that guide civilian aircraft in the Middle East and Ukraine are being jammed and spoofed, diverting flights and risking the safety of all onboard. Meanwhile, diplomats from 25 countries met again in Geneva to consider possible elements of a legally binding agreement to prevent an arms race in outer space (PAROS). Both situations arise from decades of unsuccessful diplomatic attempts to ensure that outer space – a shared, global environment on which the entire world depends – remains peaceful and available to all.

Astroscale Japan Inc. has announced that its commercial debris inspection demonstration satellite, Active Debris Removal by Astroscale-Japan (ADRAS-J), has achieved a major technical milestone: completion of the rendezvous phase of its mission and the beginning of the proximity approach. This success is underscored by starting Angles-Only Navigation, a navigation method to estimate relative position and velocity through the servicer’s onboard cameras.