Middle East

Hughes Network Systems LLC, the global leader in broadband satellite networks and services, and Al Yah Satellite Communications Company (Yahsat), a leading global satellite operator based in the United Arab Emirates and wholly owned by Mubadala Investment Company (Mubadala), announced on 6 December 2019 the commencement of a joint venture to provide satellite broadband services in Brazil.

Thales Alenia Space, a Joint Venture between Thales (67%) and Leonardo (33%), announced on 4 December 2019 that it has signed a contract with the Egyptian operator Nilesat to build the Nilesat-301 geostationary communications satellite, winning the contract against an international field of competitors.

Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum has directed the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) to open registration for the second edition of the UAE Astronaut Programme. The move marks the start of a new phase of the UAE’s space exploration journey.

The UAE has great ambitions in space and is advancing rapidly, reaching impressive milestones all the time. This year, the UAE sent Hazza Al Mansouri, their first astronaut into space and the UAE Space Agency is developing a hyperspectral satellite as well as planning the Emirates Mars Mission.

The Global Satellite Coalition (GSC), a group of seven trade associations representing the global satellite eco-system, has welcomed the decisions taken at the ITU World Radiocommunication Conference 2019 (WRC-19), Sharm-el-Sheikh, which allow satellite services to continue to bridge digital, education, health and social divides and connect more and more citizens around the world.

The UAE Space Agency has organised the fourth meeting of the representatives of member states of the Arab Space Cooperation Group on the sidelines of the 16th edition of Dubai Airshow 2019, which was hosted by Dubai World Central on 17 - 21 November.

An Ariane 5, operated by Arianespace, has delivered the TIBA-1 and Inmarsat-GX5 telecom satellites into their planned orbits.

Gilat has confirmed that it has achieved the fastest ever modem speeds of 1.2 Gbps total throughput over Telesat’s Phase 1 LEO satellite. This industry milestone demonstrates the potential of high throughput Non-Geostationary Orbit (NGSO) satellite constellations.

Gilat Satellite Networks Ltd., a worldwide leader in satellite networking technology, solutions and services, on 19 November 2019 reported its results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2019.

Thuraya, the mobile satellite services subsidiary of the UAE-based Al Yah Satellite Communications Company (Yahsat), in partnership with Airbus, a global leader in aeronautics, space and related services has successfully conducted live screenings of a demonstrative aerial surveillance mission taking place in Germany, from an airborne Airbus H145 helicopter equipped with a communication system developed by SCOTTY to the Dubai Airshow visitors, utilising Thuraya’s L-band satellite network.