Policy and Law

Following an open call for tenders, GMV has been awarded a contract by the German Space Agency at the German Aerospace Center (DLR), GMV announced. The purpose of the arrangement is to develop advanced space surveillance and tracking (SST) data processing algorithms for the German Space Situational Awareness Centre.

The U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has authorized Boeing to construct, deploy, and operate a broadband satellite constellation. Boeing´s V-band constellation will consist of 132 low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites in a circular orbit and 15 highly inclined NGSO satellites.

ESA and GHGSat announced at COP26 that they were to support the United Nations Environment Programme’s new International Methane Emissions Observatory (IMEO). Methane has more than 80 times the warming effect of carbon dioxide. Therefore, reducing emissions of this gas is one of the fastest ways to slow down the rate of global warming.

The UN First Committee, responsible for international security, approved the establishment of a new working group to develop rules for military activities in space, Breaking Defense reports. The plan was proposed by the UK and supported by a number of Western countries including the US. 

The 72nd International Astronautical Congress (IAC 2021), organised by the International Astronautical Federation (IAF), held in the Middle East for the first time and hosted by the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Center (MBRSC) ended on Friday. Over 6,500 delegates from more than 110 countries attended the “Inspire, Innovate & Discover for the Benefit of Mankind” themed event.

The UK Space Agency and the Canadian Space Agency have signed a Memorandum of Understanding on joint activities and information sharing on space, the British High Commission Ottawa reported. The MOU was signed in Dubai at the annual International Astronautical Congress (IAC 2021).

China under President Xi Jinping is aimed at establishing global leadership across domains, be it land, sea, air, cyber, and space. This grand strategic approach can be discerned from its prioritization of technologies that upgrade its civilian and military capacities across domains, through its ‘new infrastructures’ list.

As part of the partnership between SpaceWatch.Global and the European Space Policy Institute, we have been granted permission to publish selected articles and briefs. This is ESPI Briefs No. 53: ‘Europe and Human Spaceflight: new context, new strategy?’, originally published in October 2021.

During this week’s Space Café, SpaceWatch.Global publisher Torsten Kriening caught up with space Social Media Specialist Remco Timmermans, live from the International Astronautical Congress (IAC) exhibition floor in Dubai. Remco is an experienced space business professional,

Poland has joined the list of nations committed to ensuring sustainable space practices by signing the Artemis Accords at the International Aeronautical Congress in Dubai, NASA reported. President of the Polish Space Agency (POLSA), Grzegorz Wrochna, signed the document during a ceremony.