The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is aiming for the first crewed Gaganyaan human spaceflight mission to take place in December 2021.
Read More »#SpaceWatchGL Op’Ed: Privateering the Solar System – A Long View of Commercial Space and National Security
The role of commercial space in today’s national security environments is known well enough. There are useful policy debates to be had over what national security space systems a state should absolutely provide for to ensure sovereign decision making in war versus where commercial entities can step in.
Read More »Danish University Uses Satellite Imagery To Map Global Poverty
How far have we come in achieving the UN's sustainable development goals that we are committed to nationally and internationally? Yes, it can be difficult to make a global assessment of poverty and poor economic conditions, but with an eye in the sky, researchers are able to give us a very good hint of the living conditions of populations in the world's poor countries.
Read More »U.S. Warns Of Consequences As Iran Prepares To Launch Satellites
As Iran makes preparation to launch three satellites using Iranian launch vehicles, the United States has warned Tehran not to conduct the launches and condemned the Iranian space programme as a deceptive measure that in reality is designed to help build long-range ballistic missiles.
Read More »Ethiopia’s Ethio Telecom May Acquire Communications Satellite
Ethiopia's state-owned telecommunications provider, Ethio Telecom, is considering acquiring a communications satellite in order to provide connectivity to rural Ethiopia as well as to economic sectors in the northeast African country that will benefit from telecommunications infrastructure, such as agriculture and mining, according to a news story published in Ethiopian news outlet The Reporter.
Read More »ESPI Brief 24: Brexit and Space
As part of the partnership between SpaceWatch.Global and European Space Policy Institute and with permission, SpaceWatch.Global occasionally publishing select articles and briefs. This is ESPI Briefs” No. 24 Brexit and Space, published in: July 2018.
Read More »Indian Parliament Likely To Introduce Commercial Space Bill In 2019
The Indian government is likely to introduce the 2017 Space Activities Bill, which will allow the commercial use of space in India, in the 2019 budget session, according to a report in the Hindustan Times.
Read More »Indian Human Spaceflight: Gaganyaan Mission In 2022 To Orbit Three Astronauts, Cost $1.4 Billion
The Indian government announced on 28 December 2018 that its Gaganyaan human spaceflight mission expected to take place in 2022 will consist of three crew members, last for five to seven days in orbit, and is budgeted for the equivalent of U.S.$1.43 billion, according to Indian media reports.
Read More »China’s BeiDou GNSS Now Available Globally Ahead of Schedule
China has announced the completion of its BeiDou global navigation satellite system (GNSS) and the start of worldwide service on 27 December 2018, marking a victory for Beijing's "Made in China 2025" strategy that promotes strategically autonomous high technologies such as autonomous driving, satellite technology, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and 5G networks, among others.
Read More »Saudi Arabia Establishes Space Agency In Leadership Shakeup
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has established the Saudi Space Agency as part of a leadership shakeup enacted by King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, in a Royal decree issued late on 27 December 2018.
Read More »