International
Stories around the biggest global space news, including from Europe, India, and Japan.
Meet Lithuania, the 40th Artemis Accords Signatory
“For us, it’s very important to become a part of international cooperation platforms and international initiatives,” Neringa Morozaitė-Rasmussen, Lithuania’s vice-minister of the economy and innovation, told Payload. “We see it as an important agreement that…emphasizes peaceful exploration, which is the essence for us.”
China Notches Fourth Successful Lunar Landing
China successfully soft landed an uncrewed spacecraft on the far side of the Moon over the weekend—the third lunar landing in what is shaping up to be a very busy year on Earth’s satellite.
Open Cosmos To Build Greece’s First EO Constellation
UK satellite manufacturer Open Cosmos will build a €60M ($65.1M) EO constellation for Greece to help the Mediterranean nation tackle ocean pollution and challenges in agriculture.
International Partnerships Complicate Space Registry, State Says
The US needs to communicate better with both the private sector and international partners about objects in orbit as space becomes more global, a State Department official said Thursday.
Artemis Accords Signatories to Meet This Month in Canada
Artemis Accords signatories will meet in Montreal this month to discuss best practices and guidelines for responsible and sustainable space exploration.
A Q+A with the Norwegian Space Agency Chief
Norway is preparing to launch two satellites this summer to boost comms in the Arctic amid increasing tension in the region between NATO allies and Russia, the head of the Norwegian Space Agency told Payload.
South Korea Initiates EO Constellation with NEONSAT-1 Launch
South Korea took the initial steps toward building its domestic EO capability on Tuesday with the launch of NEONSAT-1, the first in a planned 11-sat constellation.
A Q+A With UKSA Chief Paul Bate
The UK Space Agency challenged industry in January to extract and purify water ice on the Moon—and so far, companies have come forward in droves with ideas to solve the problem, according to the agency’s CEO.
US, French Space Industry Meeting in DC This Week
The US is hosting the second US-France Comprehensive Space Dialogue this Wednesday, and most of the American space heavy hitters will be attending.
Slingshot Opens First Overseas Office in the UK
The space situational awareness (SSA) firm Slingshot Aerospace is opening two offices in the UK in its first expansion outside America’s borders.
Ukrainian Startup Raises Funding For In-Space Servicing Demo
Ukrainian start-up Kurs Orbital has raised €3.7M($4M) to build and fly a prototype docking port for in-space servicing and debris removal missions.
Swiss Start-up Studying Satellite Refueling for UK
The UK Space Agency has tapped in-orbit servicing start-up ClearSpace to research satellite refueling, taking a step toward the British agency’s commitment last fall to invest in space sustainability.
Russia Pursues New ASAT Capability Amid Declining Space Program
The news of Russia pursuing a new ASAT capability comes nearly two years after its invasion of Ukraine, which sparked international sanctions that harmed the nation’s economy and placed a strain on its once-great space program.
