News

U.S. defence officials claim that Russia successfully tested its PL19 – Nudol antisatellite (ASAT) missile from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome on 26 March 2018, according to the online geopolitics and current affairs magazine The Diplomat.

In its ongoing path toward developing the human and technical capacities required for a functioning space sector, the UAE has launched a student competition to build mini satellites. The UAE Space Agency, in collaboration with Khalifa University and Boeing Corporation, has announced the STEM-oriented contest called the UAE Mini-Satellite Challenge: Design it, Build it, Launch it.

Troubled Israeli satellite communications company Spacecom could finally have a buyer, but at a much lower price tag than it sought last year. Last week, Israel-based holding company IDB made an offer for a controlling stake in Spacecom, offering U.S.$45.75 million for a 54.7% undiluted stake and an equity infusion of as much as U.S.$11.45 million. According to a report published on calcalist.com, further negotiations have resulted in IDB’s subsidiary, Discount Investment Corporation, agreeing to an equity infusion of up to U.S.$34 million.

Kazakhstan and Russia have recently concluded one of their periodic renegotiations of the Russian lease of the Baikonur Cosmodrome located on the Kazakh steppe, and the workhorse of Russia's launch schedule, with significant implications for Kazakhstan's space ambitions, according to analysis provided by Anna Gussarova in the Eurasia Daily Monitor published by U.S. think tank, The Jamestown Foundation.

The Nigeria Communications Ltd. (NigComSat) company, the operator of the NIGCOMSAT-1R communications satellite, is set to receive U.S.$550 million equity investment from the satellite's manufacturer, China Great Wall Industry Corporation (CGWIC), the Nigerian Minister of Communications Adebayo Shittu told Nigerian newspaper Punch on 2

The Crown Prince of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman, visited the facilities of Virgin Galactic at the Mojave Air and Space Port in California on 2 April 2018. The Crown Prince and his delegation, which included the Saudi ambassador to the United States Prince Khalid bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, were hosted by Sir Richard Branson, Chairman of the Virgin Group, and by George Whitesides, CEO of Virgin Galactic.

Thai satellite operator Thaicom announced that it has appointed Anant Kaewruamvongs as its new Chief Executive Officer and Director of the Board.

The UAE has become a trailblazer in the Arab world in the field of space and satellite technology, an effort that is a part of a wider economic diversification initiative by the UAE government to ween the Gulf Arab state off of its economic dependency on hydrocarbons. It appears that neighbouring Gulf Arab countries are taking note, as a recent visit to the UAE Space Agency by a prominent delegation from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia demonstrates.

Precious Payload, the brain child of Russian entrepreneurs Andrei Rebrov and Andrey Maskimov, is aiming to transform the way in which small satellite operators secure their launches. As we heard at Satellite 2018 this year, small satellites are being hit by a launch bottleneck and are mostly reduced to piggybacking on larger satellite launches and settling for what they can get. This can impact negatively on schedules and revenues.

Bangladesh’s space ambitions are closer to reality. The Bangabandhu-1 communications satellite has been shipped to Florida for its upcoming launch. The satellite’s manufacturer, Thales Alenia Space of France, has sent it from its warehouse in Cannes for arrival on 30 March 2018.