With the Iranian sanctions regime steadily coming apart, it is only a matter of time before Iran acquires – or even develops on its own – a high-resolution imaging satellite that will revolutionise its military and civil remote-sensing capabilities. Such a development is of particular concern to a number of countries …
Read More »Social media app Telegram deletes Yemen’s Houthi-backed Al-Masirah TV
The social media app and website Telegram has deleted the channel used by Yemen’s Al-Masirah satellite television station, an entity thought to be affiliated with the Houthi’s, who are fighting the Saudi Arabian-backed coalition in Yemen. The action by Telegram took place over the weekend of 16-17 April 2016, and …
Read More »Why Space? Some thoughts by Rick Tumlinson at TEDxESA 2015
At the TEDxESA event on 11 November 2015, 12 stellar speakers took the stage and presented their visions of how science takes us beyond fiction. Space is hard, so why should we go? Let Rick Tumlinson give a clear answer in this TEDxESA talk. He wants to plant a tree …
Read More »SES and Global Eagle Entertainment expand airline Internet connectivity in the Middle East
SES S.A., the Luxembourg-based commercial satellite communications provider, and Global Eagle Entertainment (GEE), announced on 19 April 2016 further agreements to provide Ku-band capacity to provide enhanced in-flight Internet connectivity for airline passengers in the Middle East and other parts of the world. Los Angeles, California-based GEE is a worldwide …
Read More »There are no borders seen from space…A beautiful picture of the Middle East taken from the ISS
There are no borders seen from space…that such beauty can be discerned from a part of the world – the Cradle of Civilization – where so much tragedy and suffering occurs is perhaps the cruelest of ironies. From space the political unrest in Egypt, the ongoing conflict between the Palestinians …
Read More »Israel’s Spacecom links up with Encompass for new European TV distribution system
Spacecom, the Israeli commercial satellite communications provider that operates the fleet of AMOS satellites, is linking up with Encompass, the global technology services company dedicated to advancing innovation between broadcast and digital media industries, to build a new European TV distribution platform. The new service will be distributed throughout Europe, …
Read More »Iran signs space launch agreement with Kazakhstan
Iran and Kazakhstan have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) allowing access for both countries to each other’s space launch and satellite facilities. Kazakh Minister for Investment Aset Isekeshev visited Tehran on Tuesday, 12 April 2016, and signed the MoU along with Iranian Vice-President for Scientific Affairs Sorena Sattari. According …
Read More »United States to start space security dialogues with GCC states
A senior US government official has announced that the United States should like to enter in to space security dialogues with Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member states in the coming months. Speaking at the 32nd Space Symposium in Colorado Springs, Colorado, on 14 April 2016, the US Assistant Secretary of …
Read More »French Satellite Dominance in the Middle East Set to Expand
With an imminent satellite deal with Egypt, France is set to become the satellite manufacturer of choice for Middle East countries. John B. Sheldon, Chairman and President of ThorGroup GmbH, analyzes the geopolitical implications of this important deal. French President Francois Hollande and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sissi are expected to …
Read More »Disrupt Space summit successfully kickstarts the commercial space sector in Europe
The first Disrupt Space summit was held on 7-8 April 2016. Over the course of two days, 200 top entrepreneurs and decision makers from across the world came to Bremen, Germany, to solve global industry and sustainability challenges using space proposed by select international organizations and participated in high-level workshops …
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