The third part of our #SWMEThemes on the Middle East and Space Resources is an interview with space law attorney Michael J. Listner of Space Law and Policy Solutions, and author and publisher of space law and policy briefing-letter The Précis. Michael – a friend of SpaceWatch Middle East –provides readers with …
Read More »#SWMEThemes: Space Mining: The Next Strategic Investment for Gulf Countries?
The second contribution to the #SWMEThemes week on the Middle East and Space Resources is by Ben Baseley-Walker, the Senior Director for Global Engagement for Europe, Middle East, and Africa at Planetary Resources. Ben argues that Gulf Arab countries have an opportunity to lead in the coming race to exploit space …
Read More »#SWMEThemes: The Middle East and the New Space Resource Economy
In the first of our week-long #SWMEThemes on the Middle East and Space Resources, Dr. Tom James of Navitas Resources LLP argues that with its heritage in extracting oil and gas from harsh environments and recent investments in space programmes, many Middle Eastern countries are well-placed to take advantage of the …
Read More »Introducing #SWMEThemes: First Off, Space Resources and the Middle East
Here at SpaceWatch Middle East we are always looking to enhance the experience and education of our readers, as well as to engage the regional and international space community in relevant debates on issues of importance. In order to bring such lofty goals into reality, this coming week SpaceWatch Middle …
Read More »#SpaceWatchME Op’ed: As the World Embraces Space, the 50 Year Old Outer Space Treaty Needs Adaptation
2017 marks the 50th anniversary of the signing of the 1967 Outer Space Treaty, the centre piece of the international legal regime of all outer space activities. Duncan Blake and Professor Steven Freeland argue that with rapid changes occurring in how space is used, it is time to update the …
Read More »Iran’s Space Programme: A Political Football Amidst Economic Decrepitude
In the space of one week Iranian space officials have simultaneously announced plans to start their own satellite navigation programme and that an old satellite built by an Italian company is too expensive to launch and so will be consigned to a space museum. To anyone who closely observes Iranian …
Read More »Israel and India Sign Space Cooperation Agreements During PM Modi’s Visit
Israel and India have signed major space cooperation agreements during an official visit July 4-6, 2017, by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Israel. The two countries already have a cooperative agreement on space launches, with several Israeli satellites launched on Indian space launch vehicles in recent years. The agreements …
Read More »#SpaceWatchME Op’ed: Space Weather as a Sustainability Issue
Weather in space is not something you regularly hear about, but it has an everyday impact we should all be aware of. As part of SpaceWatch Middle East’s partnership with Secure World Foundation, we are pleased to publish this essay on space weather and space sustainability by SWF’s Project Manager, Krystal Wilson: Space …
Read More »HellasSat-3-IS Satellite Successfully Launched By Arianespace
HellasSat (a member of the Arabsat Group) has announced the successful launch of the HellasSat (HS)-3-IS satellite aboard an Ariane 5 launch vehicle from the Guiana Space Center in French Guiana, in the presence of H.E. the Minister of Digital Policy, Communications, and Media of Greece, Mr. Nikos Pappas, and …
Read More »Israel’s IAI In Running To Supply Poland With Two Reconnaissance Satellites
Reports are emerging that Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) are being considered by the Polish Ministry of Defence to supply the Central European country with two high-resolution reconnaissance satellites valued at U.S.$2 billion. The Polish defence minister, Antoni Macierewicz, has sent a delegation of acquisition officials to IAI in Tel Aviv …
Read More »