Asia Pacific

The National Academy of Sciences of Belarus (NASB) and the China National Space Administration have signed a joint declaration on cooperation on the International Lunar Research Station (ILRS) program. The signature, reported by the Belarusian Telegraph Agency, saw the Chairman of the Presidium of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, Vladimir Gusakov, and the Administrator of the China National Space Administration, Zhang Kejian, sign the document for both parties. 

ispace, Inc. has announced today that the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) has selected it for a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant worth up to approximately $80 million (12 billion Yen). The SBIR Project is a large-scale technology demonstration for startup companies in Japan conducting innovative research and development with the purpose of implementing these new technologies. 

The 74th International Astronautical Congress, organized by the IAF and hosted in Baku by Azercosmos, the Space Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan, was a resounding success, IAF said. After 50 years, the IAC returned to the city of Baku, where it first hosted the 24th International Astronautical Congress in 1973. During the opening ceremony, Ilham Aliyev, the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, warmly welcomed the IAC delegates.

The Airbus-built THEOS-2 Earth observation satellite has been successfully launched on a Vega rocket from Kourou, Europe’s spaceport in French Guiana. The Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency of Thailand (GISTDA) selected Airbus as a partner for its next-generation national geo-information system in 2018.

Astroscale Japan has been selected by the Japan Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) for its Small and Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program to develop an on-orbit inspection demonstration mission that will image and diagnose a large, defunct satellite in space. 

ispace Technologies U.S. (ispace - U.S.) has announced its new U.S. headquarters in Denver, Colorado, where it is currently designing and has plans to manufacture its new APEX 1.0 lunar lander for future missions. The new headquarters will establish a central base of operations for the company to serve its American customers.

The fifth episode of this special series of Space Cafe Black Ops with Dr. Namrata Goswami as resident guest is focused on India. This episode is part of a seven-series focused on the geopolitics of space. India: A Strategy of a Leading Power. The fifth episode of this special series of Space Café Black Ops with Dr. Namrata Goswami as a resident guest is focused on India. This episode is part of a seven-series focused on the geopolitics of space. 

Sierra Space, subsidiary of private aerospace contractor Sierra Nevada Corporation, announced on the 19th of September that it raised new funds at a $5.3 billion valuation, reports CNBC.

Zenno Astronautics (Zenno), a developer of superconducting electromagnets for space applications, and D-Orbit, a company in the space logistics industry, have formed a special commercial partnership to collaborate on the development of new space products and services. The initial project will see Zenno and D-Orbit combine their respective technologies and fields of expertise to develop two new uses for superconducting electromagnets in space applications.

In the upcoming fifth episode of our webinar series, "Black Ops," we delve into a pivotal discussion that promises to be nothing short of compelling. Under the spotlight, we welcome our esteemed guest speaker, Namrata Goswami, an independent scholar teaching and researching space policy, geopolitics and great power competition. Titled "India: A Strategy of a Leading Power," this episode promises an engaging exploration of India's evolving role on the global stage.