Earth observation

Australia’s space industry needs to catch up with the rest of the world. Andrea Boyd, Flight Operations Engineer for the International Space Station in Germany, explained why at the recent GAP Summit in Part Two of her case for a more proactive Australian space policy and programme. Part One can be …

Israeli press outlets are reporting that Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) engineers are resolving many of the technical faults discovered on its latest reconnaissance satellite – Ofek-11 – launched last week on 13 September 2016 from Palmachim Air Base in Israel. Further, IAI engineers are quietly confident that the remaining problems …

Iranian press reports are suggesting that Iran and its Asia-Pacific Space Cooperation Organisation (APSCO) partners China, Pakistan, and Peru are in the process of creating a space situational awareness (SSA) network initially consisting of ground-based optical telescopes. According to reports, the first such optical telescope will become operational in October …

Nominations are now open for the 2016 Better Satellite World Awards. The modern world literally runs on satellite – from data networks and TV to Internet, agriculture, energy and transport – though far too few people know it.  Celebrating its 60th birthday this year, the commercial satellite industry is now …

The UAE Space Agency has explored ways of strengthening bilateral relations and supporting the vision of cooperation in applying space technology to the agricultural sector. The developments were discussed during an official visit by senior officials from the Japanese government to the Space Agency headquarters in Abu Dhabi. HE Dr …

The Iranian and Bolivian governments signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at the end of August that commits both countries to extensive cooperation in space issues. The MoU was signed in the Bolivian city of Santa Cruz de la Sierra on 26 August 2016 by the Iranian ambassador to Bolivia, …

The Israeli government secretly launched its Ofek-11 electro-optical reconnaissance satellite on a Shavit space launch vehicle from Palmachim Air Base in Israel on the night of Tuesday, 13 September 2016. Shortly after launch, however, it became apparent that there were problems with the Ofek-11 satellite, built by Israel Aerospace Industries …

Israeli online publication Israel Defense reports that the Israeli government has placed an order for an ‘Ofek’ electro-optical high-resolution reconnaissance satellite with Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI). According to the Israel Defense report, published on 6 September 2016, the Israeli Ministry of Defence placed the order with IAI some time ago …

The Syrian Civil War continues unabated, as does its human suffering. Satellite technologies play an important role in monitoring the Syrian conflict and are used by humanitarian agencies to try and help those who are suffering the most. Theras Wood of Canadian Earth observation company UrtheCast provides an account of …

With the regular occurrence of satellite jamming in the Middle East, scientists at the Germany space agency – DLR – seem to have come up with one solution that might mitigate the worst effects of this phenomenon. Ships can be led astray with fake GPS signals. If signals for navigation …