Satellite

Astroscale Japan Inc., an affiliate of Singaporean-Japanese New Space company Astroscale that aims to utilise technology top remove space debris in Earth orbit, has contracted with Russian satellite launch provider Glavkosmos/GK Launch Services to launch its End of Life Services by Astroscale –demonstration (ELSA-d) spacecraft on a Soyuz-2 cluster mission from Baikonur Cosmodrome in early 2020.

Uzbekistan and France have signed a framework agreement on space cooperation during a state visit to Paris by Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev on 9 October 2018.

A team from the UAE’s Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) has successfully completed pre-launch tests in Japan of the Earth observation system KhalifaSat, the first satellite to be entirely built in the UAE by Emirati engineers.

Space industry startup, Space Impulse, has assembled a team of veteran technologists and orbital-class aerospace leaders with a mission to lower costs and accelerate times to orbit by streamlining supply chain integration on a comprehensive, global business-to-business (B2B) platform.

Rocket Lab, the U.S. headquartered New Space launch company with a launch complex in New Zealand, has now also established an assembly facility for its launch vehicles in Auckland, New Zealand. The facility was officially opened by Star Trek actor William Shatner.

The Virgin Group, the parent company of Virgin Galactic and Virgin Orbit, has withdrawn from all discussions over a U.S.$1 billion investment in its space activities with Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF) following the alleged torture and murder of dissident Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul, Turkey, on 2 October 2018.

Pioneering NewSpace company, Satellite Vu, will take part in GITEX Future Stars, the fastest growing start-up event in MENA and Southeast Asia.

Australian New Space satellite communications company Myriota has created a new facility on the outskirts of Adelaide, South Australia, and has announced that it plans to create 50 new jobs over the next two years to accelerate its nanosatellite-enabled Internet of Things (IoT) venture.

U.S. New Space investment company Space Angels has released its Space Investment Quarterly for the third quarter of 2018, and the report reveals that China is now the leading investor in New Space companies, expanding its market share more than any other country.

Firefly Aerospace, Inc., a developer of orbital launch vehicles for the small to medium satellite market, announced on 10 October 2018 the execution of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with York Space Systems for the development of integrated launch services and spacecraft mission solutions.