Space

In what a growing number of analysts are calling a bold move, Japan's ANA Holdings – owner and operator of All Nippon Airways (ANA) – is partnering with the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and companies such as Softbank, Takenaka, and HIS, to create AVATAR X in a bid to revolutionize space exploration and development through the use of avatar space systems controlled by pilots on Earth utilising virtual reality (VR) technology.

Chinese New Space satellite launch company OneSpace successfully launched its suborbital rocket, the Chongqing Liangjiang Star/OS-X1, on 7 September 2018, just two days after the successful launch of a rocket built by its rival, iSpace.

The Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) has signed a contract with Dutch New Space satellite manufacturer and integrator Innovative Solutions in Space B.V. (ISIS) on 7 September 2018 for an Earth observation CubeSat, and ground segment, that will be launched on board an Arianespace Vega satellite launch vehicle in the third quarter of 2019.

Norwegian satellite company BitSpace has partnered with Blockchain technology company Nexus Earth to develop satellite technologies that utilize the Blockchain to create decentralised satellite networks in Earth orbit.

Russia’s space agency Roscosmos, through its international commercial arm Glavkosmos, is partnering with Thai company C&C Advanced Technology (C&C) to promote Russian space-related technology in Thailand, according to a report in SpaceTech Asia.

Firefly is well and truly ignited again. A new formation of the company with solid investors behind it is now paving the way for what has the potential to be a very successful business. International asset management firm, Noosphere Ventures, as lead investor, is set to take Firefly to the next level and beyond with an evolutionary strategy and approach that sees the development two launch vehicles to satisfy the full breadth of the dedicated small satellite launch market and for broader in-space applications as well.

Myanmar is mulling creating its own national space agency and the acquisition of an Earth observation small satellite with the assistance of Hokkaido University in Japan. Myanma engineers and scientists are set to take part in the manufacture and integration of some the components and instruments, according to reports in the Myanma media.

Moroccan media is reporting that the North African country's second high-resolution Earth observation satellite, the Mohammed VI-B, is due to be launched on an Arianespace launch vehicle from the Kourou Space Centre in French Guiana in November 2018 on either the Vega or Soyuz ST-A Fregat-M satellite launch vehicles.

Avanti Communications Group, a UK-based satellite operator, that provides Ka-band satellite communications services across the Europe, the Middle East and Africa, announced the official launch of its South Africa-based operations as of 29 August 2018.

Sky and Space Global Ltd. (SAS), the New Space narrowband satellite communications company listed on the Australian Stock Exchange (ASX), announced on 3 September 2018 that it has signed a binding Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) agreement with Surinamese Internet Service Provider - Foundation Busie Suriname (FBS).