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Two major space events took place in South-Korea in November 2023: Space Forum Korea, hosted by the South-Korean government, in close cooperation with the US and major ASEAN economies. And an International Workshop on Space Resources with Perspectives of Emerging Space Programs, hosted by the Secure World Foundation, an American NGO. Then, on the first day of December 2023, a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched the country’s first spy satellite into orbit, from California’s Vandenberg Space Force base, just one month after North Korea had launched its own. Let’s review these events in context, and draw some observations on the global standing of South-Korea as an Emerging Space Country.

Full production has begun on the six Galileo Second Generation (G2) satellites at Airbus’ site in Friedrichshafen, Germany, with the arrival of the first satellite Flight Model structure from Beyond Gravity in Zurich. After initial preparation, the panels will travel to other Airbus sites before final integration and testing at Friedrichshafen. Furthermore, the Galileo G2 satellites are scheduled for launch in the coming years to support the initial deployment and validation of the G2 System.

Neumann Space has announced the successful completion of the first series of on-orbit tests of its propulsion system, the Neumann Drive®. Neumann Space has consequently become one of the first commercial entities to fire a thruster in space that utilizes Molybdenum as a solid metallic propellant, and the Company considers it a world-first use of a safe, storable, abundant propellant for electric propulsion.

In this Space Café Radio - Austria special - Host Sabine Pongruber, CEO of WEME Global, welcomed Markus Mooslechner on 10 November 2023. “Anyone can be a good storyteller because everyone has a story to tell.” Embark on a Journey of Discovery with Markus, an Award-Winning Storyteller and Science Communicator! Immerse yourself in an engaging conversation that explores the depths of genuine human interaction and the craft of storytelling.

Join us at our Space Café - Live in Vienna - with Dr. Emma Gatti and Torsten Kriening - on the day before the World Space Forum at UNOOSA. SPACE 2023 - a place to be or regulators' nightmare and operators' hell? Join us for an enlightening roundtable discussion at the Space Café, where leading experts, operators, and policymakers will converge to explore the vast complexities and thrilling possibilities of the future of space, moderated by Dr. Emma Gatti, Editor in Chief and Torsten Kriening, Publisher at SpaceWatch.Global.

Angola has become the 33rd country and third African country, after Nigeria and Rwanda, to sign the Artemis Accords and join the Artemis program. President João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço of Angola officially signed the Artemis Accord on behalf of his nation, solidifying Angola’s commitment to deep space exploration and international collaboration. 

LiveEO has announced the successful first closing of its next financing round, securing $10 million to enable its headstart in the deforestation compliance market. This achievement reflects the confidence of the Company's existing investors, despite challenging market conditions, and the commitment of its new partner, the greentech VC Greencode Ventures, to its shared vision of a sustainable future.

SpaceX has successfully launched its first military spy satellite to better monitor North Korea. The launch happened at California’s Vandenberg Space Force Base using SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket. Furthermore, it is the first of five spy satellites South Korea contracted with SpaceX to launch into space by 2025. The satellite is an electrooptical and infrared device, while the four remaining satellites will feature synthetic aperture radar, which can "see" through cloud cover and at night.

The CAMoes mission was supported by the Government of the Azores. After the official reception, Torsten Kriening spoke with Dr Flavio Tiago, Director of Science and Technology at the Government of the Azores about the mission and the importance of space for the region.

On the last evening of his stay on Terceira island in the Azores, Torsten Kriening had the privilege to interview Dr Alamo Meneses the Mayor of Angra do Heroísmo and host of the CAMoes mission. He is also an University Professor. He was the Director of the Sciences Department of the University of the Azores, and was the founder and leader of the Association of Environmental Defense "Gê-Questa". He is the author of several studies and publications in the areas of environmental impact assessment and management of water resources in insular and coastal regions. He was also a member of the Regional Government of the Autonomous Region of the Azores,