Asia Pacific

The Thai Ministry of Defence (MoD) is to take on national security space missions, and incorporate military space concepts of operations and their associated threats and opportunities in its defence strategy, operations, tactics, techniques, and procedures. According to Thai media reports, the MoD in Bangkok is considering options that include the leasing of an Earth observation satellite from a U.S.-based company and the introduction of space principles, operations, and concepts of operations throughout all Thai defence-related training and education in order to create a space savvy military.

China has issued an open invitation to all countries interested in participating in its planned orbital station in a bid to establish itself as a leading international space power and expand its influence. This step is especially significant at a time when NASA, the U.S. space agency, and its partners are trying to decide how long to maintain the International Space Station (ISS). The China Space Station is due to become operational as soon as 2022.

Mongolia and France signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on 18 May 2018 in order to carry out space cooperation at the institutional level between the Centre national d’études spatiales (CNES) and the Mongolian communication and information technologies authority (ACTI). The MoU was signed by Jean-Yves Le Gall, President of …

U.S. based commercial space launch company Rocket Lab is getting ready for its first commercial launch, which is scheduled to take off from New Zealand in late June 2018. This U.S. spaceflight startup has scheduled new dates for its first commercial launch: a mission dubbed “It’s Business Time” which will launch via its small rocket, the Electron, between 23 June and 6 July 2018

The Japanese Ministry of Defence (MoD) will use Planet's Dove Earth imaging nanosatellites to collect intelligence on Japanese national security threats, supplementing the high-resolution satellite imagery it receives from the Japanese government's Intelligence Gathering Satellites (IGS).

Sky and Space Global, the Australian New Space company that intends to provide narrowband satellite communications through its planned 200 Nanosatellite fleet in 2020, has successfully completed proof-of-concept tests using three pilot Nanosatellites in South America.

China is on the verge of a space exploration breakthrough with the launch of the “Magpie Bridge” relay satellite for its Chang'e-4 lunar mission that will explore the dark side of the Moon, further establishing itself as a preeminent global space power.

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.

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.

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.