Satcoms

The world's largest satellite communications provider, Intelsat, will partner with Israel's Gilat in a pilot program to provide a communications infrastructure for Uganda's rural populations as part of the effort to enhance that country's economic and social development.

As part of its reorganization and reassignment of its most senior executives since the appointment of Dr. Roger Tong as its Chief Executive Officer in April 2018, Hong Kong’s Asiasat has announced two new corporate promotions to important technical positions on the board.

Thaicom, Thailand’s biggest commercial satellite communications provider, and We Are IT Philippines Incorporated (WIT), announced in Manila on 3 May 2018 that WIT will lease the entire capacity on Thaicom’s IPSTAR satellite to provide broadband Internet coverage across the Philippines.

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.

A senior executive from Nigeria’s NigComSat has confirmed to the Nigerian press that the satellite communications company is to acquire two additional satellites from the China Great Wall Industry Corporation. This confirmation follows an agreement between NigComSat and Chinese development banks to provide Nigeria with U.S.$500 million in aid to acquire and launch the satellites over the next 36 months.

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.

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

After losing out to Space Systems Loral for the AMOS-8 Satellite, it is being reported that Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) is likely to receive a satellite order from the Israeli government in a bid to save its satellite business, and adding to the woes of struggling Spacecom Satellite Communications, Ltd.

Nigeria's NigComSat and Turkey's Turksat have agreed to jointly carve out a share of the satellite communications market in Africa, where they will collaborate to ensure the deployment of satellite solutions.

Yahsat has announced that it has entered into an agreement to acquire a majority stake in the mobile satellite services operator Thuraya, also based in the UAE, subject to final pre-closing conditions being met. The acquisition of the UAE’s first home grown satellite operator, Thuraya, will significantly expand Yahsat’s current satellite solutions portfolio for both commercial and government verticals, as well as its global footprint.