Gilat Satellite Networks Ltd., a worldwide leader in satellite networking technology, solutions and services, announced today the launch of its innovative Scorpio Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT)-in-a-box for high-speed consumer broadband. This latest addition to Gilat’s SkyEdge II-c family of VSATs lowers the cost barrier of delivering broadband services via …
Read More »South Korea is considering leasing an Israeli reconnaissance satellite
The South Korean military is considering leasing an Israeli Ofek reconnaissance satellite, according to South Korean news agency Yonhap. With tensions between Seoul and North Korea increasing in recent months, South Korea’s military urgently requires a satellite reconnaissance capability that can provides its political and military leadership with enhanced strategic …
Read More »Turkey and Russia talk space launch, human spaceflight cooperation
During a visit by Russian President Vladimir Putin to Istanbul, Turkey on 10 October 2016, Turkey and Russia held a meeting on the sidelines of the World Energy Congress. This was the first visit to Turkey by President Putin since Turkey shot down a Russian Air Force jet near the …
Read More »The #SpaceWatchME IBC 2016 Interviews: Khalid Balkheyour of Arabsat
SpaceWatch Middle East conducted a series of interviews during the International Broadcast Convention 2016 in Amsterdam in September. This interview is with Khalid Balkheyour, President and CEO of Arabsat. Arabsat is one of the many satellite operators in the ME region, a very contested market. What is your current growth strategy for the region and …
Read More »Matthew Cosby joins the Goonhilly board of directors
Renowned teleport operator Goonhilly Earth Station, has announced that it will welcome Matthew Cosby to its executive management board in the role of Director of Space Engineering. Goonhilly serves satellite operators, commercial satellite services, space agencies, and research organizations in the United Kingdom, Europe, the Middle East, Asia, Africa, and …
Read More »U.S. military missile warning satellite valuable asset in fight with Daesh
The Space-based Infrared System (SBIRS) is a U.S. military satellite system one would not normally associate with the fight against Daesh. Designed to warn of ballistic missile launches, the sophisticated and mostly classified satellite system is now proving to be a valuable intelligence asset in crushing Daesh on the battlefield. …
Read More »SpaceWatch Middle East is invited to “A GoodFestival” in Lausanne
The GoodFestival will take place between 25 – 29 October 2016 at the Olympic Museum in Lausanne. The goal of the Festival is to foster projects for sustainability that are compliant with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs). Eight of these goals were defined as categories of the …
Read More »Eutelsat pulls plug on Kurdish satellite TV stations in Europe
Allegedly at the request of the Turkish government, Eutelsat has ceased broadcasting two Kurdish satellite television stations in Belgium and Sweden. The Turkish government has shut down several Kurdish media outlets, to include television channels, in Turkey over the past few weeks and it would appear that it is now …
Read More »Challenges and Opportunities for a Kuwaiti Space Programme, Part II
Several weeks ago SpaceWatch Middle East contributor Ghanim Alotaibi, a Kuwaiti engineer and Space Generation Advisory Council member, wrote of the need for a Kuwaiti space programme, but that such an endeavor faces several challenges, starting with the challenge of ‘Kuwaitisation’. This week, Ghanim address the other three challenges Kuwaiti leaders will …
Read More »Eutelsat selects Airbus and Orbital ATK to build replacement satellite serving North Africa
Eutelsat Communications has selected Airbus Defence and Space and Orbital ATK to build a new satellite for the key 5° West orbital position serving mainly video markets in Europe and North Africa. Under the terms of the agreement Airbus Defence and Space will build the satellite’s payload while the platform …
Read More »