Bangladesh's first satellite, the Bangabandhu-1 communications satellite, is set to be launched on board a SpaceX Falcon-9 space launch vehicle from Cape Canaveral, Florida, on 4 May 2018, according to Mohammed Mezbahuzzaman, project director of the satellite programme.
Read More »Iran’s Space Agency Chief Extols the Virtues of Iransat-21, Other Satellite Applications
Morteza Barari, head of the Iran Space Agency and deputy minister at the Iranian Ministry of Communications and Information Technology told Mehr News Agency that ordinary Iranians, the economy, and society at large benefit everyday from Earth observation, communications, and positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) satellites without realising it.
Read More »Bangladesh’s Bangabandhu-1 Communications Satellite Shipped to Florida for Launch Preparations
Bangladesh’s space ambitions are closer to reality. The Bangabandhu-1 communications satellite has been shipped to Florida for its upcoming launch. The satellite’s manufacturer, Thales Alenia Space of France, has sent it from its warehouse in Cannes for arrival on 30 March 2018.
Read More »Thailand’s ThaiCom Expands Footprint Through Canal+ Broadcast Into Myanmar
Thaicom Public Company Limited, one of Asia’s leading satellite and digital platform operators, announced that it has signed a multiyear contract with CANAL+ Overseas Myanmar, a CANAL+ subsidiary in charge of broadcasting internatio
Read More »India and France Sign Wide-Ranging Joint Vision for Space Cooperation
India and France have announced a broad and strategic space cooperation agreement to guide their developing bilateral strategic partnership. This Joint Vision for Space Cooperation includes both existing and new joint mechanisms, with inter-agency representation led by the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) and the French National Space Agency (CNES) respectively. The progress and outcomes will be reported to the bilateral Indo-French Strategic Dialogue for review and assessment.
Read More »India, France to Cooperate on Space-Based Maritime Domain Awareness in Indian Ocean, Other Space Activities
France and India have agreed to cooperate on space-based maritime domain awareness in the Indian Ocean. This decision to increase cooperation is seen as a geopolitical countermove to what many Indian analysts believe are increasing attempts by China to gain superiority in the Indian Ocean. France and India will now …
Read More »Bangladesh to Join the SAARC South Asia Satellite Project
India’s proactive initiative to connect South Asian countries with its South Asia Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) South Asia Satellite has received a boost with the recent announcement and agreement that Bangladesh will use the capability. The Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) plans to send a proposal to the Bangladeshi …
Read More »Middle East Satellite TV Geopolitics: Saudi-Owned MBC Pulls All Turkish Programming Off the Air
In a move that has confounded industry executives and frustrated millions of Arab satellite television viewers across the Middle East and North Africa, Saudi-owned satellite television broadcaster Middle East Broadcasting Centre (MBC) has pulled all Turkish programming from its channels as of 0100 Mecca Time, on Friday, 2 March, 2018. …
Read More »Satellites Over the Mediterranean: SpaceX Successfully Launches Spain’s PAZ Reconnaissance Satellite
SpaceX successfully launched Spain’s high-resolution synthetic aperture radar (SAR) PAZ reconnaissance satellite from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, on Thursday, 22 February, 2018. The successful launch of PAZ is the latest by a Mediterranean country and intensifies the space-based surveillance and reconnaissance competition of the geopolitically important sea. The …
Read More »#SpaceWatchGL Interviews: Rahul Narayan of TeamIndus
The Google Lunar XPrize (GLXP) may have ended, but the teams that have invested nearly a decade into their lunar dreams have vowed to continue to reach their goals. TeamIndus had made huge progress towards the launch deadline of 31 March, 2018, and inspired the people of India and beyond …
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