Asia Pacific

MEASAT is planning to add a High Throughput Satellite (HTS) to its fleet in 2021, which will see the Malaysian satellite operator adding to existing and scheduled HTS capacity slated for the region.

The growing problem of space debris has been highlighted as a priority by Japanese Defence Minister, Itsunori Onodera, who has promised strengthened cooperation with the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) in order to address the challenge.

Cog and satellite-based IoT start-up, Fleet have joined forces to advance the security of satellite-connected Internet-of-Things (IoT) devices. Cog, a provider of IoT security solutions, will provide Fleet with its D4 platform on trial projects around the world.

Japan’s Space One has declared that it will begin commercial launch operations in 2022, revealing an ambitious agenda for a company entering a very crowded regional and international market.

On Friday, 29 June 2018, Filipino Cubesat, Maya-1, started its journey to orbit when it was carried to the International Space Station (ISS) on the SpaceX Falcon-9 CRS 15 rocket. The cubesat will be deployed into orbit from the ISS in early August 2018.

In order to accelerate its priorities, the Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency of Thailand (GISTDA) has selected Airbus as partner for its next-generation national geo-information system.

Filipino company Bambu Wireless will use the Eutelsat-172 Satellite to provide broadband, maritime, and government connectivity services throughout the Philippines.

Taking the best of both company offerings, Planet and Airbus have signed an agreement to jointly develop a new range of satellite imagery products.

Pakistan is set to have its indigenously-built Earth observation satellite, PakTES-1A, as well as its Pakistan Remote Sensing Satellite (PRSS)-1, launched by China in July 2018 in a bid to catch up with its geopolitical rival, India.

Cyber security company Symantec has identified a Chinese hacking group (also called an Advanced Persistent Threat – APT) known as Thirp, which the company believes has the ability, potentially, to take over the computers of satellite communications operators in Southeast Asia and the United States that control their satellites.