Asia Pacific

Satellite quantum communication technology provider SpeQtral, and Thales Alenia Space, a joint Venture between Thales (67 %) and Leonardo (33 %), have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to research, develop and demonstrate quantum communications from space to Earth, the companies announced.

Ground network services provider KSAT, has joined forces with Earth imaging technology company, Pixxel, to support its work building the world’s highest resolution hyperspectral imaging satellite constellation, KSAT said. The company will provide access to its global ground network to enable Pixxel’s constellation to reveal key data about Earth’s health.

Satellite servicing and long-term orbital sustainability provider Astroscale Japan, has been selected as one of the contracting parties for the Front-Loading Technology Study in Phase II of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency’s (JAXA) Commercial Debris Removal Demonstration (CRD2), the company said.

The first Edition of Space Café Singapore by Lynette Tan took a closer look at the space trends in Singapore and the region. Lynette's guest is  Mani Thiru, Head of Space & Satellite at Amazon Web Services Asia-Pacific. Mani, as a new resident on the red dot talked about on what's the hottest things happening here in space right now! Mani leads the Aerospace & Satellite Solutions team at Amazon Web Services across Asia-Pacific.

So far seven Memorandum of Understandings (MoU) have been signed at the 7th Edition of Bengaluru Space Expo 2022, organised in association with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACE) and NewSpace India Limited (NSIL).

Indian space-tech startup Skyroot Aerospace, raised US $51 million during a Series-B funding round led by global investment firm, GIC, Skyroot said. To date, this is the largest funding round in the Indian private space-tech sector. In addition to monetary investment, GIC India Direct Investment Group’s Managing Director, Mayank Rawat, will join Skyroot’s Board.

Global professional services company Accenture, has made a strategic investment in Pixxel, an Earth imaging technology company, as part of Accenture Ventures’ Project Spotlight, the company said. Project Spotlight is an engagement and investment program aiming to fill strategic innovation gaps, and helping startups harness human creativity.

In the latest (10th) Space Café “Law Breakfast with Steven Freeland”, host Steven Freeland, Emeritus Professor of International Law at Western Sydney University, Sydney and Professorial Fellow at Bond University, Australia, and Co-Host Torsten Kriening, SpaceWatch.Global’s Publisher, welcomed Annie Handmer and Christopher Johnson at a wonderful breakfast discussion in Washington D.C.’s best bagel café.

Local Koonibba artist, Kevina Ware, has designed the mission patch for the next rocket launch mission from Southern Launch’s Koonibba Test Range which is due to launch in the coming weeks, Southern Launch said.  Launch services company, Southern Launch commissioned Ware as part of their ongoing relationship with the Koonibba Community Aboriginal Corporation.

The United States and the New Zealand governments signed a Framework Agreement to provide new opportunities for the New Zealand space sector and closer collaboration with NASA, said Economic and Regional Development Minister, Stuart Nash. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, and Vice President Kamala Harris, welcomed the completion of negotiations on the agreement earlier in May.