Space agencies on this region are rarely talked about, but knowing a number of facts about these space agencies is significant for us.
Several countries within the region have their very own space agencies with lively space programs that compete for scientific and technological advancements in space.
Seasia, I even have hereby compiled temporary facts or information it is advisable to know in regards to the agency to your reference and further interest within the space initiative undertaken by governments within the region:
NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF SPACE AND AVIATION – LAPAN
(National Aeronautics and Space Institute)
The National Aeronautics and Space Institute is the Indonesian government space agency.
It was founded on November 27, 1963 by former Indonesian President Sukarno, after a yr of existence as an off-the-cuff space agency organization.
LAPAN is answerable for long-term civilian and military research in the sphere of aerospace. For over twenty years, it has managed satellites developed within the Lapan small science and technology satellite domain and the Palapa telecommunications satellites, which were built by Hughes (now Boeing Satellite Systems) and launched from the USA using Delta rockets or from French Guiana using Ariane 4 and Rocket Ariana 5.
Sounding rockets have also been developed they usually are currently working on small orbital space launchers which might be planned to permit Indonesia to affix the club of space powers around 2012-2014.
The Indonesian space industry reached one other milestone within the Nineteen Eighties when NASA chosen Pratiwi Pijulestari Sudarmono for space travel.
Unfortunately, the trip was canceled after the famous Challenger disaster in 1986, which shattered her dreams and opened a possibility for the then Indonesian space industry. Although she never went there, she conducted several training missions along with her backup engineer, Taufik Akbar.
MALAYSIA NATIONAL SPACE AGENCY
(National Space Agency – ANGKASA)
The National Space Agency of Malaysia (ANGKASA) is an agency under the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation of Malaysia.
Its mission is to develop the country’s potential within the space sector to support the event of a brand new economy, generate knowledge and strengthen national security infrastructure. It envisages using space as a platform for generating knowledge, creating wealth and social well-being.
In pursuit of this vision, ANGKASA has actively engaged in various local and international projects, namely in space technology, space applications and space sciences.
It is the agency answerable for Earth commentary and distant sensing in Malaysia.
As a part of the ANGKASA manned programs, the Malaysian government initiated the Angkasawan (Malay word for astronaut) program to send a Malaysian to the International Space Station aboard Soyuz TMA-11. As a result, on October 10, 2007, Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor became the primary Malaysian in space.
The program was officially announced by former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir bin Mohamad as a joint program with the Russian Federation. It was a project implemented as a part of an intergovernmental offset agreement involving the acquisition of Sukhoi SU-30MKM fighters for the Royal Malaysian Air Force.
CENTER FOR REMOTE IMAGING, DETECTION AND PROCESSING (CRISP), SINGAPORE
The Center for Remote Imaging, Sensing and Processing (CRISP) is a research facility of the National University of Singapore, established with funding from the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) of Singapore.
CRISP’s mission is to develop advanced distant sensing capabilities to fulfill the scientific, operational and business requirements of Singapore and the region.
CRISP operates a satellite ground station for acquiring data from distant sensing satellites and processes archived data into standard or value-added products for distribution and research.
SPACE TECHNOLOGY INSTITUTE (VIETNAM – STI)
VIETNAM INSTITUTE OF SPACE TECHNOLOGY
The Vietnam Space Technology Institute (STI) is the leading national research institute in space science and technology under the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology. It was established on November 20, 2006 by the Vietnamese government.
The most important functions of STI include research on fundamental problems with space science and technology, research and development of small satellites for Earth commentary, planning and implementation of independent science and technology programs in space technology and applications of distant sensing, GIS and GPS to natural resources, environment and disaster management.
Vietnam’s history in space was also colourful with Vietnamese pilot and cosmonaut Pham Tuan, the primary Vietnamese citizen in space. On July 23, 1980, Tuan launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan aboard Soyuz 37 with Soviet cosmonaut Viktor Gorbatko on July 23, 1980.
Tuan flew as a research cosmonaut on a mission that lasted almost eight days, including six days on the Salyut 6 space station, where he conducted scientific experiments.
AGENCY FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF GEOINFORMATICS AND SPACE TECHNOLOGIES – GISTDA
(Agency for the Development of Geoinformatics and Space Technologies)
GISTDA (Geoinformatics and Space Technology Development Agency) is the general public and basic organization of Thailand. GISTDA was established on November 3, 2000.
GISTDA is answerable for space, all technological and geoinformation activities. In 1979, TRSC (Thailand Remote Sensing Center) began working under the NRCT (National Research Council of Thailand) branch and has been involved in satellite distant sensing since then.
PHILIPPINE SPACE AGENCY (PSA), PHILIPPINES
The Philippine Space Agency (PSA), the agency answerable for all national issues and activities related to space science and technology applications, was established following the passage of a bill within the senate in early 2018.
The creation of the PSA and the National Space Development and Utilization Policy (NSDUP) will serve because the country’s master strategic motion plan for space development and can embody the country’s goal of becoming a space-capable nation inside the following decade.
Over the past few years, the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) has been pushing for the creation of an area agency. In 2016, the launch of Diwat-1 into space marked a milestone in space technology.
Source: Various sources, including the official website of all countries’ space agencies
