Space Missions

Lunar Orbital Platform – Gateway (LOP-G) is a future international lunar orbiting outpost, planned to be built in the 2020s. We talked about the development of the project, its tasks and goals as well as about Russia’s participation with Oleg Valerievich Kotov, pilot-cosmonaut of the Russian Federation, recipient of the Hero of the Russian Federation medal, veteran of three space missions, currently Deputy Director for Science at the Institute of Biomedical Problems (IMBP) of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

China is seeking to enhance its soft power and global scientific reputation by inviting international participation and cooperation in space science experiments on its planned space station.

We talked about the development of the project, its tasks and goals as well as about Russia’s participation with Oleg Valerievich Kotov, pilot-cosmonaut of the Russian Federation, recipient of the Hero of the Russian Federation medal, veteran of three space missions, currently Deputy Director for Science at the Institute of Biomedical Problems (IMBP) of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

A team from the UAE’s Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) consisting of Emirati officials and nine astronaut candidates are now in Russia, according to Russian state space agency Roscosmos.

Singaporean New Space company Astroscale has announced that it will open a National In-Orbit Servicing Control Facility in Harwell, UK. Astroscale is among the most high-profile company looking to remove space debris from orbit.

The UAE Space Agency has signed an agreement with the U.S. space agency, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), to cooperate in the peaceful uses of outer space and with the new UAE Astronaut Programme.

On July 10, the 2018 Progress MS-09 (Progress 70 or 70P as identified by NASA) resupply vehicle made history by reaching the International Space Station in the record-short time of only 3 hours and 40 minutes (and two orbits) after launch.

Industry veteran Bob Gough has joined the team at Goonhilly Earth Station as the company bids to expand its operations and develop new business opportunities across Australia and the Asia-Pacific. Gough will oversee commercial expansion across the region and will grow Goonhilly’s customer base in this new market, one that is experiencing rapid growth and that has just seen the establishment of the Australian Space Agency.

Israel’s SpaceIL has announced that it will launch its Moon probe on a SpaceX launch vehicle, to land in February 2019. If successful, the SpaceIL lunar mission will make Israel the fourth-ever country to land on the Moon, after the Soviet Union, U.S., and China.

Astroscale has reached a key milestone in its quest to develop space debris removal services in order to secure long-term spaceflight and sustainability.