Space Exploration

By Carla Sharpe The 8th African Leadership Conference on Space Science and Technology for Sustainable Development was hosted at the UN Economic Commission for Africa, in Ethiopia from 2 to 4 December 2019. Over 200 participants joined the conference from 31 countries, 21 of which were African countries. The sessions …

Dubai Silicon Oasis Authority (DSOA), hosted its third quarterly Dtec Forum of 2019, dedicated to space innovation with the aim of encouraging local and regional entrepreneurs and investors to join the space race. The event, powered by Entrepreneur Middle East, took place at Dubai Technology Entrepreneur Campus (Dtec), the largest …

Astrobotic proudly announces that it will open a new state-of-the-art headquarters for lunar logistics in May 2020. The 47,000 square foot facility in Pittsburgh’s North Side neighborhood of Manchester will house the company’s spacecraft integration cleanrooms, test facilities, lab spaces, rover test labs, payload operations room, and dedicated mission control. …

The International Institute of Space Law (IISL) is the global association for space law with individual and institutional members from almost 50 countries. The IISL’s key mission is the promotion of further development of space law and expansion of the rule of law in the exploration and use of outer …

A new CIMON for the International Space Station (ISS): CIMON-2 (Crew Interactive MObile companioN) lifted off on its journey into space on 5 December 2019. This modified version of the astronaut assistant has been equipped for new tasks and was developed and built in Germany. Like its predecessor, CIMON-2 will be …

Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum has directed the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) to open registration for the second edition of the UAE Astronaut Programme. The move marks the start of a new phase …

The Australian Space Agency has signed a Statement of Strategic Intent and Cooperation with EOS Space Systems, an Australian company specialising in space tracking systems. Anthony Murfett, Deputy Head of the Australian Space Agency said that the joint statement aligns with the Australian Civil Space Strategy, which sets out a …

In a world where change is the only constant, leadership is more important than ever. European ministers have strongly endorsed ESA to take this lead, increase its organisational agility, effectiveness and efficiency, and reinforce its relationship with the European Union. “We have looked at the future of our activities solely …

Testing of the ExoMars rover at Airbus in Toulouse has moved to the next stage with the start of the thermal vacuum testing (TVAC) which will last about 18 days. The rover has been in Toulouse since late August undergoing a series of tests to prepare it for its flight …

The Hague International Space Resources Governance Working Group is pleased to announce the adoption of the Building Blocks for the Development of an International Framework on Space Resource Activities. On 12 November 2019, the members of the Hague International Space Resources Governance Working Group adopted the Building Blocks for the …