The Moon is rapidly becoming the destination of choice for space agencies and companies since it poses less technical and financial risk than going directly to Mars. ThorGroup GmbH’s intern in Washington, DC – Nickolas J. Boensch – explores the emerging ‘Moon Rush’ and the possible roles and opportunities for …
Read More »UAE’s Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre to host Emirates Mars Mission workshop in October 2016
The United Arab Emirates’ Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) has announced the 2nd Annual Emirates Mars Mission (EMM) Science Workshop, which targets students, graduates and educational entities from various UAE universities. The workshop, which will be held on October 3rd at The Westin Dubai, Al Habtoor City, will address …
Read More »Yahlive extends partnership with BBC to broadcast across the Middle East and South West Asia
Yahlive, the Abu Dhabi-based satellite joint venture between the world leading satellite operator SES and UAE satellite company Yahsat, announced on 16 August 2016 that it has signed a contract renewal with the BBC World Service. As part of the ongoing agreement, the BBC will continue the broadcast of its …
Read More »Yahsat and Panasonic Avionics make connectivity services agreement for Middle East mobility market
Panasonic Avionics and Yahsat announced on 10 August 2016 the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to explore new ways to offer a broadband connectivity solution serving several mobility markets in the Middle East within the next three to five years. In addition, while final terms are still …
Read More »Thuraya to launch mobile satellite services in Vietnam
Leading mobile satellite services (MSS) operator Thuraya Telecommunications has signed an agreement with VNPT VinaPhone making its land and maritime handsets available to the Vietnam Posts and Telecommunications Group (VNPT). Thuraya’s first service agreement in Vietnam is helping VNPT VinaPhone establish satellite services, which was marked by a ceremony attended …
Read More »Satellite spectrum issues for the Middle East: an interview with Hans-Juergen Tscheulin
Space and satellites are often treated as an intrinsically exciting and glamorous field of activity. Yet the issue of spectrum requirements, regulatory filings, and spectrum management are all too often considered to be unglamorous, and as a result are unfairly and dangerously ignored. The reality is that without a competent …
Read More »UAE Space Agency, Mubadala and Lockheed Martin launch comprehensive space-based workforce development programme
On 8 August 2016 global technology leader Lockheed Martin, the UAE Space Agency and Mubadala launched a space-based workforce training programme to develop emerging leaders in the UAE space industry. Generation Space: The Space Fundamentals Training Program for early career professionals across the UAE aerospace industry will run for the …
Read More »Arabsat and MBC Group form strategic partnership
MBC Group (Middle East Broadcasting Centre) channels announced on 1 August 2016 the transition of its Gulf channels and MBC Pro Sports Channels to Arabsat through a strategic partnership signed with Arabsat today. The partnership aims to establish a new era of family TV entertainment reinforcing high quality viewership. While …
Read More »Egypt on the road to establishing national space agency amidst controversy
The Egyptian government, under the leadership of President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, has agreed upon draft legislation that will eventually create a national space agency for the belaboured country. The announcement was made on 3 August 2016, and aims to harness space technologies for the purposes of economic development and for …
Read More »Virgin Galactic gets important go-ahead for resuming flight-testing
Virgin Galactic, the spaceflight company founded and owned by British entrepreneur Sir Richard Branson, received an important regulatory go-ahead on 1 August 2016 to resume flight-testing of its SpaceShipTwo spacecraft. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration’s Office of Commercial Space Transportation (FAA-AST) awarded Virgin Galactic an operator license for SpaceShipTwo. The …
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