Important Innovations Collection

China's Geely Auto Group Building Network of SATs for Self-Driving Cars Source:  Satellite in space image Your Car in Contact with Space Chinese automaker Geely has a space-based plan for "steering"autonomous cars.  It is in the process of building its own network of satellites to provide advanced geolocation and connected vehicle functions for self-driving cars. This is a first in China and Geely's satellites will be solely used to support its autonomous driving vehicles.  It's a very innovative concept to use satellites to track, communicate with and help guide self-driving cars. Global Operations Geely is a huge automotive player.  It owns Sweden-based Volvo cars, US flying car startup Terrafugia, Malaysia's Proton and has a $9 billion stake in Daimler, the owner of Mercedes Benz. Geely hopes to share and benefit from Daimler automotive technology.  Geely is currently integrating Volvo with Geely operations, wh...

Spacecom Satellite Providing Vital Communications Services to Africa AMOS-17 I srael’s AMOS-17 satellite, manufactured by Boeing, blasted into space aboard a SpaceX rocket in late October 2019.   The communications satellite is now successfully deployed and fully operational, providing advanced communications services to Africa.   AMOS-17 has provided Israel and satellite designer and operator Spacecom a triumphant return to Space, three years after a launchpad explosion destroyed another one of its satellites AMOS-6 Communications Services for Africa The demand for the communications services AMOS-17 is providing to Africa is huge.   The continent suffers from a lack of internet access infrastructure with some parts of Africa underserved or completely unconnected to any communications infrastructure.   Meanwhile demand for access is growing.   More than half of the African population is under 18 years old.   And the number o...

Egypt To Launch 1st Communications Satellite on Friday Source: Egyptian Space Agency TIBA-1 to Provide Egypt Call and Internet Full Service Egypt is sending its first communications satellite into orbit on Friday.  The government believes this will improve its communications infrastructure and internet services and also attract new investors.  The satellite will work along with existing land and telecommunications infrastructure.  Egypt believes that a strong communications network is essential to its economic growth.  Interestingly, the satellite called TIBA-1's coverage area includes nearby Arab and African nations.  The Egyptian government may sell those areas new satellite services. Launch Date Friday The Friday launch of Egypt's first communications satellite will take place from a space center in French Guiana in one of Europe's Arianespace rockets.  The satellite is 5.6 tons and was made by Airbus and Thales Alenia Space.  It will st...

Successful Launch of Communications Satellite Aboard Space X Rocket Source:  SpaceCom's AMOS-17 AMOS 17 Israel's Space Communications, a satellite operator, has announced that its communications satellite AMOS-17 was launched into space from a SpaceX rocket and is now travelling to its targeted orbital position.  The satellite was manufactured by Boeing and launched from Cape Canaveral, FL.  The satellite is valued at $250 million. Communications Services for Africa AMOS 17 will provide communications for Africa.  During the next three months, it will go through a series of tests and then go into commercial operation in late 2019.  The launch was very important for Israel to help it rebound from some major space setbacks, including the loss of a satellite in 2016 when a SpaceX rocket exploded.  AMOS-17 joins three other Space Communications satellites now in orbit.  For a free Kindle borrow of my latest book "Big Space News 2019", go to...

New Satellite Launch 2022 Source:  Canadian Space Agency Goal:  Protect Communications Networks Canada will launch a new satellite in 2022 that will use quantum technology to protect national and commercial communications networks.  It's called the Quantum Encryption and Science Satellite or QEYSSat. Microsatellite Honeywell has received a $23 million contract from the Canadian Space Agency to design, develop and deliver the microsatellite.  It will create a link between the ground and space to transmit encryption keys. Critical Mission The 2022 mission will test quantum technology.  The purpose is to develop a system to protect commercial and government communications infrastructure.  The Canadian government believes that current encryption methods will be obsolete within the decade because of the tremendous processing power of quantum computers.  That will put passwords and other security safeguards at risk. Quantum Encryption Canada...