Asia Pacific

Inmarsat, the UK-based global satellite communications company, is partnering with Auxilium, an Australian mining company, for the provision of Industrial Internet of Things (IIOT) and communications solutions to the mining sector.

India’s Antrix Corporation Limited, the commercial arm of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), has signed an agreement with the UK’s Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd. (SSTL), for the launch of NovaSAR-1, a small Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellite, into a 580-kilometer altitude Sun-synchronous orbit, and SSTL S1-4, a high-resolution Earth observation satellite.

Australia’s Buccaneer Risk Mitigation Mission Cubesat, a joint mission between the Australian Defence Science and Technology (DST) Group and the University of New South Wales (UNSW), has performed according to plan since its launch in late 2017 and is paving the way for follow-on Buccaneer missions.

The Australian and Singaporean New Space launch company, Gilmour Space Technologies, conducted its most powerful orbital engine test to date on 16 August 2018 as part of its preparations for a key suborbital test flight in the fourth quarter of this year.

As part of a whole-of-government effort, the Japanese government is considering building and launching space-based Space Situational Awareness (SSA) satellites to better monitor space debris and anti-satellite threats against Japanese satellites, according to a report in Japan News.

Japanese company Canon Electronics has outlined its plan to become a turnkey space venture that builds and launches rockets from its own space launch site, and building and operating its own Earth observation satellites and selling the satellite imagery on the open market.

The South Korean government is spearheading investment in its country’s Artificial Intelligence (AI), Big Data, and Blockchain sectors to the tune of 5 trillion Won (U.S.$4.4 billion) starting in 2019.

The UK space sector is on the cusp of entering a new and golden age. As a country, the UK already has a thriving space sector with leading companies that have pioneered the small satellite industry, for example.

Japan is considering building a constellation of microsatellites for maritime domain awareness (MDA) operations over the South China Sea, East China Sea, and the Sea of Japan to monitor Chinese maritime and naval activities, especially around the disputed Senkaku/Diaoyutai Islands.

China's Hainan Earth observation satellite constellation that is designed to "reinforce national sovereignty" over the South China Sea and other disputed territories is set to start launching its first satellites in 2019, according to Chinese state media reports.