News

As both Iran and Turkey look to Central Asia to enhance their diplomatic and economic prospects and standings, space cooperation will become a more important and useful tool for gaining relative geopolitical advantage in the region for both countries. Who is better able to exploit the opportunities for space cooperation …

It has been yet another busy week of insightful and inspiring stories and reporting around the world. As editors of SpaceWatch Middle East the challenge is whittling down the quantity of good stuff out there to a handful of readings to share with our readers! This week’s selection includes an …

Manoto TV, the highly regarded commercial Persian-language television channel, is gearing up for launch on 16 June 2016 on the EUTELSAT 7B satellite. The channel has signed a capacity agreement with Eutelsat Communications for exclusive broadcasting in High Definition (HD) from EUTELSAT 7B, leveraging the satellite’s high-power footprint to expand …

Gilat Satellite Networks Ltd. of Peta Tikva, Israel, a global provider in satellite networking technology, solutions and services, announced on 2 June 2016 that Sky Net, a leading Myanmar TV station and systems integrator, selected Gilat’s network for cellular backhaul in Myanmar. Sky Net and Gilat won the bid of …

Experts from the Turkish Research Institute of Space Technology (TÜBİTAK UZAY) visited the Azerbaijani space agency, AzerCosmos, at their Baku headquarters on Monday, 13 June 2016, according to the Azerbaijani Ministry of Communications and High Technologies. The experts from TÜBİTAK UZAY were trained by AzerCosmos experts on definition of satellite …

Leading Mobile Satellite Services operator, Thuraya Telecommunications Company and satellite solutions firm, Satlink, have joined forces to support the Walk On Project (WOP), a foundation that raises awareness and research funds for those with neurodegenerative diseases. On 6 June 2016, the team of climbers flew from Spain to Gasherbrum, a …

The United States and United Arab Emirates have entered into an agreement to cooperate in aeronautics research, and the exploration and use of airspace and outer space for peaceful purposes, working together in the peaceful use of outer space for the benefit of humanity. NASA Administrator Charles Bolden and UAE …

Charles Bolden, the administrator of the US space agency NASA, is visiting the Middle East to encourage greater international cooperation in the exploration of the planet Mars. Before departing Washington, DC, on 3 June 2016 for his visit to Israel, Jordan, and the United Arab Emirates, Mr. Bolden wrote on his …

Welcome to a new, occasional, series of posts where we share with our readers the things that have caught our attention over the past week, and which inspire and inform us in reporting and analyzing space activities throughout the Middle East. First up, and with Ramadan being observed by Muslims …

Es’hailSat, The Qatar Satellite Company, announced on 8 June 2016 the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Qatari Civil Aviation Authority (QCAA) for the joint development of satellite services. Es’hailSat’s President and Chief Executive Officer Mr. Ali Ahmed Al Kuwari and QCAA’s Chairman Mr. Abdulla Nasser Al …