Satellite Launch Business

Asia’s largest space and technology convention, the Global Space and Technology Convention (GSTC) is a cornerstone of the space industry in Asia. Organised by Singapore Space and Technology Limited (SSTL), the Convention is among the most comprehensive gathering of space agencies, industry leaders and future players, in Asia.

Kazakhstan has revealed that it intends to stand up and establish its own satellite manufacturing capabilities and industry with the aim of being able to build and launch its own communications and Earth observation satellites, as well as scientific and technological testbed spacecraft.

The first satellite of the Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF), named Napa-1, is expected to be launched on board an Arianespace Vega satellite launch vehicle on 24 March 2020.

Edinburgh-based satellite launch company Skyrora held successful ground tests on its 3D printed 30kN (kilonewton) liquid bi-propellant rocket engine in late January 2020.

OneWeb, the UK-headquartered global satellite communications company, is scheduled to launch its second batch of 34 satellites on 6-7 February 2020 on board a Soyuz 2.1B satellite launch vehicle from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.

By Raphael Roettgen - We are only one month into the new decade and, while we have not yet seen the SpaceX/BlueOrigin/OneWeb type mega financing rounds of 2019, this month has brought over U.S.$280 million in disclosed financing transactions in the space sector.

Centre national d'études spatiales (CNES) President Jean-Yves Le Gall was in Athens for the France-Greece space industry day organized by CNES, the French Embassy in Greece, and the Greek authorities, on 31 January 2020.

Last year was a record year for the space industry with the Seraphim Space Index showing continued momentum from global venture investors who increased their investment in the sector by 21%.

Rocket Lab, the commercial small satellite launch company, successfully launched a small classified payload into low-Earth orbit (LEO) for the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) from Rocket Lab’s Launch Complex 1 in New Zealand on 31 January 2020.

The UK defence policy community is awaiting the 2020 Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR) and the National Security Strategy (NSS), which were last produced together in 2015.