Troubled Israeli commercial satellite operator Spacecom has won a U.S.$55 million contract from an unnamed customer to use the AMOS-17 satellite to broadcast content to the African continent. AMOS-17 is being built by U.S. satellite manufacturer Boeing Satellite Systems International and is scheduled to be launched by SpaceX by mid-2019, and is to replace AMOS-5 – built by a Russian manufacturer – that failed in orbit in 2015 after only four years operation of what should have been a fifteen year mission.
Read More »UAE Space Agency and Partners Complete Preliminary Design Review of MeznSat-3U Cubesat
The UAE Space Agency, in cooperation with Khalifa University of Science and Technology at the Masdar Institute in Abu Dhabi and the American University of Ras Al Khaimah (AURAK), has completed the Preliminary Design Review (PDR) of the MeznSat-3U Cubesat.
Read More »#SpaceWatchGL – Important Information About The Processing Of Your Personal Data
On 25 May 2018, the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is effective. The data protection for data subjects in the European Union is thereby significantly strengthened. As your information portal for the space industry, we have always attached special importance to the security of your personal data.
Read More »Russian Source Claims First UAE Astronaut to be Launched to ISS in 2019
A Russian media report is claiming that the first astronaut from the United Arab Emirates is to be launched to the International Space Station (ISS) on board a Russian Soyuz spacecraft as soon as April 2019, even going as far as apparently bumping a wealthy U.S. businessman who is paying U.S.$45-50 million to visit the ISS as a space tourist.
Read More »South Korea’s KSLV-II Launch Vehicle Now On Track
After a number of delays and starts, South Korea is finally pressing ahead with the development of its second Korean Space Launch Vehicle (KSLV-II) as well as its lunar exploration programme. The KSLV-II is a three-stage launch vehicle which will put a 1.5-ton multipurpose satellite into low orbit at 600 to 800 kilometers (372 to 497 miles) above the Earth. The first-stage booster will consist of four 75-ton fuel engines, and the second stage will be made up of a single 75-ton engine. The third stage will come with a 7-ton liquid engine.
Read More »Thaicom and Croatia’s MediaVision Partner to Broadcast Content to Africa
Thaicom, one of the largest commercial satellite communication companies in the Asia-Pacific, has announced an agreement with MediaVision as part of the expansion of its broadcast platform in Africa.
Read More »China’s OneSpace Makes Maiden Launch Amidst Subsidy Claims, BRI Involvement
Chinese private launch company OneSpace successfully carried out the maiden launch of its rocket, marking the first entry of a private launch company from China into the increasingly crowded global small satellite launch market.
Read More »UAE Space Agency Hosts Advisory Committee to Review Emirati Space Programme
The UAE Space Agency's influential Advisory Committee met in late April 2018 to review and assess the activities and developments of the Emirati space programme. This third annual meeting, held in Abu Dhabi, included discussion of current and future space projects, along with methods of further developing the sector’s capabilities in scientific research, space technology, and human capacity.
Read More »Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia to Receive NASA Remote Sensing Aid
The US space agency, NASA, has officially launched a project to provide remote sensing data to Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos, aiding regional environmental and population monitoring as part of a wider effort for sustainable resource management and planning in these countries.
Read More »Pakistan Reveals Ambitious Space Programme Plans, Including PakNav GNSS
Pakistan has revealed plans for its expanded space programme that includes a second high-resolution Earth observation satellite, a satellite navigation system, and telecommunication links with China as part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) infrastructure project.
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