1. APRSAF-25 Updates

- APRSAF-25 Registration to Close on October 5
Registration for the APRSAF-25 will close on October 5, 2018.
Early registration is highly appreciated.

Online registration is available at:
http://www.aprsaf.org/annual_meetings/aprsaf25/registration.php

In addition, please make sure to read the visa requirements and be aware that the necessary documents from the Local Secretariat of APRSAF-25 will only be issued after you complete registration.
As for the accommodation fee at Sheraton Towers Singapore, we mentioned discount rates will be offered to APRSAF participants in the second announcement, but unfortunately there is no such rates offered this year. Please book your accommodation at your preferred hotel at your earliest convenience.

- Program of APRSAF-25 Updated
The updated, overall program of APRSAF-25 has now been posted on the website:
http://www.aprsaf.org/annual_meetings/aprsaf25/program.php

- APRSAF Newsletter No. 28 is Now Available
In this issue, focusing on the upcoming APRSAF-25 in Singapore, the general co-chairs give their welcome messages to the expected participants, and four working group co-chairs provide the scope of their sessions at the annual meeting. Moreover, Dr. Mohammed Al Ahbabi, Director General of the UAE Space Agency has contributed a fabulous message.
The PDF version of APRSAF Newsletter No. 28 is available on the following website:
http://www.aprsaf.org/newsmails_newsletters/pdf/Newsletter28.pdf

2. News on APRSAF Activities

- The second meeting on joint development of innovative small and cube satellites was held on 23 August 2018
On August 23, 2018, the second meeting on joint development of innovative small and cube satellites organized by the APRSAF Secretariat was successfully held with video-conference system. Based on the action items from the first meeting held in June in Bangkok on the Joint Development of Innovative Small-Cube Satellites, ISRO, JAXA, KARI and VNSC respectively introduced their own ideas for a mission concept at the second meeting, and participants discussed the potential mission concepts which could be shared among them for this initiative.

The key points identified and shared among participants are summarized as follows:

1) Mission Concept: To develop at least two CubeSats (1 U to 6 U) for technology demonstration of rendezvous docking and inter-satellite communication
2) All participants recognized that solving social issues is one of the primary objectives of joint development exercise and the possibility of putting additional 'meaningful payloads' can be discussed in the 3rd meeting on 23 Oct 2018.
3) JAXA to take the leading role and to conduct quick and rough feasibility study on Mission Concept with cooperation from KARI and VNSC

All participants agreed to have the 3rd meeting on October 23rd, UTC 5:00-7:00, to review the results of feasibility studies and discuss on the input for the 4th meeting to be held in the morning on November 6th during APRSAF-25 in Singapore.
If you are interested in joining the 3rd meeting, please contact the APRSAF Secretariat at secretariat aprsaf.org.

For more details:
http://www.aprsaf.org/capacity_building/joint_development/2nd_meeting.php

3. News on APRSAF Community

1) UAE first astronauts to join ISS with cooperation of Roscosmos
In a new Arab achievement, the UAE has announced the selection of the first two Emirati astronauts, Hazza Ali Abdan Al Mansouri and Sultan Saif Hamad Al Neyadi, in cooperation with the Russian space agency, Roscosmos State Corporation for Space Activities, among the 4,000 young men and women who have been tested for the UAE Astronaut Programme, which aims to qualify and prepare Emirati astronauts for scientific missions in outer space.
One of the astronauts will fly into space next April as the first Emirati astronaut on a 10-day mission as part of the Russian space mission to the International Space Station aboard the Soyuz MS-12 spacecraft. The second astronaut will serve as a replacement.
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, congratulated Al Mansouri and Al Neyadi for their selection, saying, "Hazza and Sultan represent a new stage for the UAE youth and raise the aspirations of new generations after them. Our dreams embrace space ... and we are proud of our youth, and our future is based on a solid scientific foundation.

Reference:
http://wam.ae/en/details/1395302706365
https://twitter.com/HHShkMohd/status/1036574913090543616

2) China launches high-resolution Earth observation satellite
China launched Gaofen-11 on July 31, an optical remote-sensing satellite, as part of the country's high-resolution Earth observation project.
The Gaofen-11 satellite was launched on a Long March 4B rocket at 11 am Beijing Time from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in northern Shanxi Province.
The satellite can be used for land surveying, urban planning, road network design, agricultural applications, and disaster relief. The data it gathers will also be used for the Belt and Road Initiative.

Reference:
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/201807/31/WS5b5fe4b3a31031a351e91337_1.html

3) JAXA releases initial observational results of Ryugu obtained by mid-infrared camera
Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) has released the initial observational results of Ryugu taken with the mid-infrared camera aboard their Asteroid Explorer "Hayabusa 2."
The global thermal imaging results achieved the detection of characteristic terrain and seasonal changes on the asteroid, the measurement of thermophysical characteristics of a "boulder" originating from within the parent body, and the acquisition of information in terms of both science and mission necessary for selecting landing sites.

Reference:
http://global.jaxa.jp/projects/sat/hayabusa2/pdf/Hayabusa2_Press20180719e.pdf

4) Contribution of satellite imagery to Thailand cave rescue
Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) contributed to the cave rescue in Thailand by sending two irrigation experts and two trucks installed with high-pressure water pumps, and by providing a detailed topographic map created by using satellite imagery with the cooperation of Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency(JAXA).

Reference:
https://www.jica.go.jp/press/2018/20180720_03.html(In Japanese)

5) BIRDS-2 CubeSats in Orbit
The three CubeSats of the BIRDS-2 Project, BHUTAN-1, MAYA-1 and UiTMSat-1 were released into orbit on August 10, 2018 from the JAXA Kibo Module aboard the ISS. Soon after their deployments, the first beacon signals from all three satellites were heard at the Ground Station in Mongolia, which is a part of BIRDS GSN. At a similar timing, the project team also received beacon signals at the KyuTech Ground station. Subsequently, many amateur users and other ground stations of the BIRDS GSN have reported reception of beacon signals.

Reference:
http://birds2.birds-project.com/

6) NASA Moon Mineralogy Mapper (M3) instrument aboard ISRO spacecraft confirms ice at the moon's poles
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) used data from their Moon Mineralogy Mapper (M3) instrument aboard Chandrayaan-1 launched by Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), to identify three specific signatures that conclusively prove the presence of ice on the surface of the moon.
M3 was not only able to confirm the presence of water, but also to differentiate between liquid water, vapor, and solid ice with its capability to directly measure the distinctive way molecules absorb infrared light.
At the southern pole, most of the ice appears to be concentrated among lunar craters, while the northern pole's ice is more widely, but sparsely distributed. Most of the newly discovered ice lies in the shadows of craters near the poles, where the warmest temperatures never rise above minus 250 degrees Fahrenheit. Because of the very small tilt in the Moon's rotation axis, sunlight never reaches these regions.
The findings were published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences on August 20, 2018.

Reference:
https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?feature=7218

4. Event Calendar

- International Astronautical Congress (IAC) Bremen
(1 - 5 October 2018, The Exhibition and Conference Center, Bremen, Germany)
https://www.iac2018.org/

- The 3rd Video Conference on Joint Development of Innovative Small/Cube Satellite
(23 October, video-conference, please contact APRSAF Secretariat if interested)

- GEO-XV Plenary
(31 October-1 November 2018, Kyoto International Conference Center (ICC), Kyoto, Japan)
http://www.earthobservations.org/geo15.php

- Pacific Islands GIS and RS User Conference 2018
(26 - 30 November 2018, USP Japan ICT Auditorium, Suva, Fiji)
http://www.picgisrs.org/

- Galaxy Forum Hainan 2018
(4 - 7 December 2018, Hilton Wenchang on Hainan Island, China)
https://galaxyforum.org/galaxy-forum-china-2018-hainan/

Copyright 2020 The APRSAF Secretariat

APRSAF News Mails are distributed to update readers on
recent developments in space-related activities in the Asia-Pacific region.
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