China launched two BeiDou-3 satellites on 19 November 2018, and in doing so it can provide basic global satellite positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) services by the end of 2018. The basic service will first be offered to countries participating in China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and offered globally at a later date.
Read More »Space Silk Road: Pakistan And China Enhance Space, Science And Technology Cooperation
During his recent visit to China, Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan and his Chinese counterparts signed a number of agreements that commit both countries to space, science, and technology cooperation.
Read More »Bahrain And India Looking To Sign Space Cooperation Agreement Early 2019
Bahrain is likely to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on space cooperation with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) in early 2019, in order to send Bahraini engineers to India for training in satellite technologies and manufacturing. The MoU, once signed, will further establish ISRO as a major player in Gulf Arab space ambitions.
Read More »Israel’s IAI To Build Four TecSAR Satellites For U.S. Company XpressSAR
XpressSAR Inc. of Arlington, Virginia and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to purchase from IAI a constellation of up to four TecSAR synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellites along with associated support services for launch, in-orbit testing, commissioning, and establishing ground operations to control the constellation.
Read More »Arianespace Successfully Launches Morocco’s Mohammed VI-B EO Satellite
Arianespace has successfully launched the MOHAMMED VI-B Earth observation satellite, developed for the Kingdom of Morocco by a consortium comprising Thales Alenia Space as system prime contractor and Airbus as co-prime. Arianespace’s ninth launch of the year, and the second using Vega in 2018, took place on Tuesday, November 20, …
Read More »Future Space Wars: Japan To Create Military SSA Unit, Incorporate AI Into Self-Defence Forces
The Japanese government will establish a command centre within the Self-Defence Forces (SDF) to monitor space debris and traffic in Earth orbit as well as to carry out surveillance on foreign satellites as they orbit over Japanese territory.
Read More »China’s New Space Race: LandSpace Technology Launch Company Gets $43 Million In Series B Funding
Chinese New Space satellite launch company LandSpace Technology announced on 20 November 2018 that it has received 300 million Yuan (U.S.$43 million) in a just-completed Series B funding round, according to Chinese news platform Weixin.
Read More »UAE To Train Bahraini Space Experts Under New Cooperation Agreement
The United Arab Emirates Space Agency (UAESA) has signed a Declaration of Principles with Bahrain's National Space Science Agency (NSSA), and the UAE’s Khalifa University (KU), for the training of the Bahrain Space Team.
Read More »Eutelsat Taps Airbus For Two Satellites Covering Europe, North Africa, And Middle East
Eutelsat has ordered two new satellites from Airbus Defence and Space to replace the three existing HOTBIRD satellites at its 13° East flagship neighbourhood. These all-electric high-power satellites are set to enter into service in 2022, serving Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa.
Read More »Middle East Space And Satellite News Roundup For November 2018
It has been a busy few weeks in the Middle Eastern satellite and space sector, with developments and activities taking place from Morocco to Iran, and all points in between. The following is a roundup of the regional space and satellite news that was not previously covered in-depth by SpaceWatch.MiddleEast.
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