Earth observation

The infrastructure boom across Eurasia is creating its own demand for satellite data and services. In this essay, Dr. John B. Sheldon of ThorGroup GmbH looks at the growing interconnections between satellites and the expanding rail networks across Eurasia. The transformation of the geopolitical and geoeconomic order of Eurasia is perhaps the greatest phenomenon of our time, even with headlines pounding out the steady drumbeat of imminent war in the Middle East and elsewhere.

Japan is making further inroads to Africa, helping another African country, Rwanda, join the space club. The University of Tokyo has signed an agreement with Rwanda to help it build a small satellite and train its future engineers. The agreement, signed on 9 May 2018 in Rwanda’s capital Kigali during the Transform Africa summit, is between the Smart Africa Initiative and Rwanda, and the University of Tokyo.

The Australian government has announced inaugural seed funding of AUS$26 million over four years to establish an Australian Space Agency, as part of a larger AUS$41 million investment in space-related funding. Although this funding is less than the predicted AUS$50 million due to an overall reduction in government spending on science and research, it ends Australia's status as one of the only OECD countries without a space agency, and it is predicted to boost the Australian space sector.

The working relationship between the UAE and France is a model of space cooperation in the 21st century, and their collaboration is now expanding to include space medicine research for UAE's astronaut programme, as well as ongoing partnership on projects relating to climate change and Mars exploration.

Australia and France are set to cooperate in hyperspectral remote sensing for monitoring the environment and global warming, as part of France's quest to become a leading power in the use of space systems in the battle against climate change.

The China Meteorological Administration (CMA) has created a disaster response, mitigation, and monitoring mechanism for countries along its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) using its Fengyun Earth observation meteorological satellites.

Chinese microsatellite manufacturer Shenzhen Aerospace Dongfanghong HIT Satellite Ltd. opened its doors to journalists recently to showcase its products in an effort to promote the export of its technologies. Shenzhen Aerospace is one of China’s leading microsatellite manufacturers, with its satellites starting at U.S.$3 million.

Leaders and senior officials from a number of Arab space agencies have committed themselves to further regional space cooperation, and provided updates on their national space programmes, at the Global Aerospace Summit 2018 held at the St. Regis Hotel on Abu Dhabi’s Saadiyat Island on 30 April and 1 May 2018.

As previously reported in SpaceWatch.Global, South Korea has followed through on its threat to change the preferred bidder for its five-satellite reconnaissance constellation, tapping Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) to lead the programme.

n order to compete with its main geopolitical rival, India, Pakistan is beginning to organise and expand its space resources. Pakistan is set to launch an ambitious space programme in the next fiscal year. Its primary goals include contending with Indian space developments. as well as reducing its own dependence on foreign satellites for civil and military purposes, according to med