Policy and Law

Cyber security company Symantec has identified a Chinese hacking group (also called an Advanced Persistent Threat – APT) known as Thirp, which the company believes has the ability, potentially, to take over the computers of satellite communications operators in Southeast Asia and the United States that control their satellites. Reuters …

The UAE has announced that its first astronaut will be launched to the International Space Station (ISS) in 2019 with the assistance of the Russian space agency, Roscosmos. This confirms rumours circulating last month about the possibility of the UAE’s first astronaut being sent into orbit in 2019, despite the …

By Daniel A Porras [1] There is widespread concern about the prospect of space becoming militarised and it is a critical issue on the United Nation’s agenda. In this exclusive article, Daniel Porras, Space Security Fellow, United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research, gives an update on the efforts of the …

The Israeli government will shortly come to a decision on the manufacturer for its own satellite – and this has become a hot topic in industry and political circles. Perhaps somewhat controversially, Israeli satellite operator Spacecom decided to purchase its next satellite, AMOS-8, from Space Systems Loral, an American satellite …

The UAE Space Agency has sent a high level delegation to UNISPACE +50, a symposium and special high-level meeting of the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS), currently being held in Vienna from 18-22 June 2018. The event is a highlight of the space industry calendar and …

In a move that appears to have surprised the Indian government, the Indian Ocean island of Mauritius has asked New Delhi for its cooperation in establishing a civilian satellite launch centre. The request is said to be considered with a large measure of seriousness by the Indian government, partly because …

Hong Kong’s AsiaSat has voiced its deep concern over the Communications Authority’s (CA) decision to reallocate the 3.4-3.7 GHz band, the lower C-Band frequency in Hong Kong, from Fixed Satellite Services (FSS) to mobile service (5G) and the subsequent proposal of two exclusion zones as a potential solution. AsiaSat responded …

By Krystal Wilson, Director of Space Applications Programs, Secure World Foundation In September 2015, more than 150 world leaders met at the United Nations Sustainable Development Summit to adopt the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Building on the successes of the original eight Millennium Development Goals(MDGs), this new agenda officially came into …

Italy’s largest private satellite manufacturer, SITAEL, is set to open its Australian headquarters on 1 July 2018 outside of Adelaide, South Australia, further cementing SA’s position as Australia’s premier New Space hub. SITAEL plans to develop satellites and payloads from 50kg up to 300kg, space missions, and a range of other space …

The Sultanate of Oman has announced that it intends to build two satellites and then have them launched by the end of 2019, according to the Omani minister of transport and communications, Dr. Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Salim al Futaisi. One of these satellites is a Cubesat designed to measure …