#Gravitas U.S. Officials say Beijing is rapidly narrowing America's long-standing advantage in orbit by building one of the world's largest surveillance satellite networks. 

China Builds 500+ Spy Satellites as U.S. Space Lead Shrinks  | GRAVITAS 

India has achieved a historic milestone as Skyroot Aerospace's Vikram-1 successfully launched multiple payloads into low Earth orbit, becoming the country's first privately built rocket to reach space. The breakthrough places India among a select group of nations with private orbital launch capabilities, marking a major boost for the country's growing commercial space sector and its ambitions to become a global space powerhouse by 2030.


India's first private rocket vikram-1 reaches orbit | skyroot creates history in space race

India's first private rocket Vikram-1 reaches Orbit | Skyroot creates history in space race

The race for space dominance has shifted north, and the Arctic is now a critical hub for global satellite networks. From Deadhorse, Alaska, to Svalbard’s massive polar station, major powers are scrambling to build antenna farms that maintain nonstop contact with satellites circling above. These remote facilities are shaping global security, powering surveillance systems, enabling military coordination and climate monitoring—and climate change is raising the stakes even higher. This deep dive explains why ground antennas in the frozen north now matter as much as rockets in orbit.

The Arctic Space Race Heats Up: China, U.S., Europe Build Antenna Farms in the Far North

China on Friday (May 3) successfully launched its historic mission to collect rocks and soil from the far side of the Moon, becoming the first country to make such an ambitious attempt.&nbsp;

<h2>About the launch of&nbsp;Chang’e-6 probe</h2>

The Long March-5, China’s largest rocket, successfully launched carrying the Chang’e-6 probe, which weighs more than eight metric tonnes, from the Wenchang Space Launch Centre, on the southern island of Hainan, at around 5:27 pm (local time), announced the China National Space Administration (CNSA).&nbsp;

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🎉Congratulations to the successful moon shot launch of Chang’e 6 lunar probe! Looking forward to collecting humankind’s first-ever lunar soil from the far side of the moon! 🌖 Long March 5 Launch video: <a href="https://t.co/Oxx3ZQ1CvC">https://t.co/Oxx3ZQ1CvC</a> <a href="https://t.co/nohTUB6xPc">pic.twitter.com/nohTUB6xPc</a>
— CNSA Watcher (@CNSAWatcher) <a href="https://twitter.com/CNSAWatcher/status/1786330703803920883?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 3, 2024</a></blockquote>
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The launch was attended by scientists, diplomats and space agency officials from France, Italy, Pakistan, and the European Space Agency (ESA), all of which have Moon-studying payloads aboard the rocket.&nbsp;

“It is a bit of a mystery to us how China has been able to develop such an ambitious and successful programme in such a short time,” said Pierre-Yves Meslin, a French researcher working on one of the scientific objectives of the Chang’e-6 mission, as quoted by Reuters.&nbsp;

Notably, no United States-based organisations applied to get a payload spot, said Ge Ping, deputy director of the CNSA’s Lunar Exploration and Space Programme.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/china-set-to-launch-lunar-probe-change-6-with-pakistans-satellite-on-board-717525">China set to launch lunar probe Chang'e-6 with Pakistan's satellite on board</a>

This is because Beijing is banned by American law from any collaboration with the US space agency NASA.&nbsp;

<h2>What is the Chang’e-6&nbsp;mission about?</h2>

Chang’e-6 is tasked with landing in the South Pole-Aitken Basin on the far side of the Moon, which faces away from Earth, to retrieve samples.&nbsp;

The mission’s goal is to collect two kilogrammes of soil and rocks from the landing site and bring them back to Earth for detailed analysis.&nbsp;

“The far side of the moon has a mystique perhaps because we literally can’t see it, we have never seen it apart from with robotic probes or the very few number of humans that have been around the other side,” said Neil Melville-Kenney, a technical officer at ESA working with Chinese researchers on one of the Chang’e-6 payloads, as quoted by Reuters.&nbsp;

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/change-6-missions-experimental-satellites-beam-back-eerie-image-of-moon-and-earth-714096">Crater-filled Moon and faint Earth in the background: Chinese satellites beam eerie image from space</a>

The Chinese spacecraft will rely on the relay satellite that has been recently deployed and in its 53-day mission is orbiting the Moon.

Once the probe separates from the rocket it will take around four to five days to reach the Moon and is expected to land on the far side of the lunar surface in June.&nbsp;

The probe – named after the Chinese Moon goddess – will then spend around two days digging up the samples before it makes its journey back to Earth, where it is expected to land in Inner Mongolia.

(With inputs from agencies)

China on Friday (May 3) successfully launched its historic mission to collect rocks and soil from the far side of the Moon, becoming the first country to make such an ambitious attempt.

China on Friday (May 3) successfully launched its historic mission to collect rocks and soil from the far side of the Moon, becoming the first country to make such an ambitious attempt. About the launch of Chang’e-6 probe The Long March-5, China’s largest rocket, successfully launched carrying the Chang’e-6 probe, which weighs more than eight metric tonnes, from the Wenchang Space Launch Centre, on the southern island of Hainan, at around 5:27 pm (local time), announced the China National Space Administration (CNSA). 🎉Congratulations to the successful moon shot launch of Chang’e 6 lunar probe! Looking forward to collecting humankind’s first-ever lunar soil from the far side of the moon! 🌖 Long March 5 Launch video: https://t.co/Oxx3ZQ1CvC pic.twitter.com/nohTUB6xPc — CNSA Watcher (@CNSAWatcher) May 3, 2024 × The launch was attended by scientists, diplomats and space agency officials from France, Italy, Pakistan, and the European Space Agency (ESA), all of which have Moon-studying payloads aboard the rocket. “It is a bit of a mystery to us how China has been able to develop such an ambitious and successful programme in such a short time,” said Pierre-Yves Meslin, a French researcher working on one of the scientific objectives of the Chang’e-6 mission, as quoted by Reuters. Notably, no United States-based organisations applied to get a payload spot, said Ge Ping, deputy director of the CNSA’s Lunar Exploration and Space Programme. Also Read | China set to launch lunar probe Chang'e-6 with Pakistan's satellite on board This is because Beijing is banned by American law from any collaboration with the US space agency NASA. What is the Chang’e-6 mission about? Chang’e-6 is tasked with landing in the South Pole-Aitken Basin on the far side of the Moon, which faces away from Earth, to retrieve samples. The mission’s goal is to collect two kilogrammes of soil and rocks from the landing site and bring them back to Earth for detailed analysis. “The far side of the moon has a mystique perhaps because we literally can’t see it, we have never seen it apart from with robotic probes or the very few number of humans that have been around the other side,” said Neil Melville-Kenney, a technical officer at ESA working with Chinese researchers on one of the Chang’e-6 payloads, as quoted by Reuters. Also Read | Crater-filled Moon and faint Earth in the background: Chinese satellites beam eerie image from space The Chinese spacecraft will rely on the relay satellite that has been recently deployed and in its 53-day mission is orbiting the Moon. Once the probe separates from the rocket it will take around four to five days to reach the Moon and is expected to land on the far side of the lunar surface in June. The probe – named after the Chinese Moon goddess – will then spend around two days digging up the samples before it makes its journey back to Earth, where it is expected to land in Inner Mongolia. (With inputs from agencies)

Chang’e-6: China launches historic mission to collect samples from far side of the Moon

India has privatised space launches and is aiming for a five-fold increase in its share of the global launch market, which some expect to be worth $47.3 billion by 2032. India currently accounts for about 2% of the space economy.

Commercial space missions pick up race

2024 is set to be a busy year in space, with the launch of new rockets and spacecraft. Several new rockets are set to blast off in 2024. Here are some interesting flights space watchers can look forward to this year.

Space race to heat up in 2024 | Tech It Out

A senior military official said that the United States is prepared for space conflict after developing anti-satellite technologies to tackle the risks posed by "provocative" countries such as Russia and China.&nbsp;

The space race has intensified and nations are ramping up their space industry with an aim to stay ahead of other nations. In recent times, space gradually became a new area of competition between China and the US.&nbsp;

The world's two largest economies, which are rivals when it comes to military influence and diplomacy, are planning to land astronauts on the moon. China hopes to do it before 2030, whereas the US claims to put astronauts back on the lunar surface by the end of 2025.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, Brigadier General Jesse Morehouse, the deputy director of strategy, plans, and policy at US Space Command stated that Russian aggression and China's goal of becoming the dominant space power by mid-century have left the US with "no choice" but to prepare for orbital fights.

Last week, Brig Gen Morehouse was in London to discuss the combined space capabilities of the two countries at a conference called the Space Operations Summit 2023, The Guardian reported.&nbsp;

While speaking at a press conference, he told reporters that the US embassy that America was "ready to fight tonight in space if we had to".&nbsp;

<h2>'We are ready to fight'&nbsp;</h2>

As quoted, he said, "If someone was to threaten the United States of America, or any of our interests, including those of our allies and partners with whom we have treaties of mutual defence support, we are ready to fight tonight."&nbsp;

To tackle such threat, there are anti-satellite capabilities and four countries - China, the US, India and Russia - have even tested it by destroying their own satellites with missiles from the ground.&nbsp;

But the US unilaterally banned such action last year because of issues regarding debris, and decades-long risk to other satellites.

Some nations, including the Netherlands, Austria and Italy, have followed America's lead and pledged not to perform "destructive" anti-satellite (ASAT) tests.&nbsp;

In 2021, Russia shot down one of its own satellites and the explosion showered its orbit with more than 1,500 trackable fragments.&nbsp;

Weighing in, Morehouse said recently that "when you create that debris cloud and it lingers on orbit for decades, it's almost like detonating a nuclear weapon in your own backyard. You pay the price too".&nbsp;

As reported, Morehouse said on Thursday the US would continue to develop anti-satellite technologies "not because we want to fight tonight, but because that’s the best way to deter conflict from happening". He further added that it would do so "without engaging in irresponsible tests".&nbsp;

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A senior military official said that the United States is prepared for space conflict after developing anti-satellite technologies to tackle the risks posed by "provocative" countries such as Russia and China.

A senior military official said that the United States is prepared for space conflict after developing anti-satellite technologies to tackle the risks posed by "provocative" countries such as Russia and China. The space race has intensified and nations are ramping up their space industry with an aim to stay ahead of other nations. In recent times, space gradually became a new area of competition between China and the US. The world's two largest economies, which are rivals when it comes to military influence and diplomacy, are planning to land astronauts on the moon. China hopes to do it before 2030, whereas the US claims to put astronauts back on the lunar surface by the end of 2025. Meanwhile, Brigadier General Jesse Morehouse, the deputy director of strategy, plans, and policy at US Space Command stated that Russian aggression and China's goal of becoming the dominant space power by mid-century have left the US with "no choice" but to prepare for orbital fights. Last week, Brig Gen Morehouse was in London to discuss the combined space capabilities of the two countries at a conference called the Space Operations Summit 2023, The Guardian reported. While speaking at a press conference, he told reporters that the US embassy that America was "ready to fight tonight in space if we had to". 'We are ready to fight' As quoted, he said, "If someone was to threaten the United States of America, or any of our interests, including those of our allies and partners with whom we have treaties of mutual defence support, we are ready to fight tonight." To tackle such threat, there are anti-satellite capabilities and four countries - China, the US, India and Russia - have even tested it by destroying their own satellites with missiles from the ground. But the US unilaterally banned such action last year because of issues regarding debris, and decades-long risk to other satellites. Some nations, including the Netherlands, Austria and Italy, have followed America's lead and pledged not to perform "destructive" anti-satellite (ASAT) tests. In 2021, Russia shot down one of its own satellites and the explosion showered its orbit with more than 1,500 trackable fragments. Weighing in, Morehouse said recently that "when you create that debris cloud and it lingers on orbit for decades, it's almost like detonating a nuclear weapon in your own backyard. You pay the price too". As reported, Morehouse said on Thursday the US would continue to develop anti-satellite technologies "not because we want to fight tonight, but because that’s the best way to deter conflict from happening". He further added that it would do so "without engaging in irresponsible tests". WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Military official says US 'ready to fight in space' against threats posed by 'provocative' nations

India is looking to excel in the lucrative space business. It is also planning to overtake China and Russia in the space race. Will India win the space race? How has India sketched out its future in the space business? Molly Gambhir reports.

Gravitas: Is India emerging as a space leader?

After a NASA top official warned that China may stake a claim on the moon's resources, the spokesperson for the Chinese embassy in Washington retorted saying,&nbsp;"Outer space is not a wrestling ground." China is "actively" working towards a "shared future for mankind in the space", said Liu Pengyu, the spokesperson.

In an interview with&nbsp;Politico, former astronaut and current NASA administrator Bill Nelson said tthe US needs to "watch out" that its rival does not gain a foothold on the lunar surface. As per a Guardian report, the NASA official said the race between the two nations is intensifying and the next two years may decide which of them gains the advantage.

Watch |&nbsp;China's 'heavenly palace' space station; US space command says 'Our space assets at risk'

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In response, Liu said:&nbsp;"China always advocates the peaceful use of outer space, opposes the weaponisation of and arms race in outer space, and works actively toward building a community with a shared future for mankind in the space domain."

Nelson, the top&nbsp;NASA official, had warned that China, which is currently engaged in a "space race" with the United States, may stake a claim on Moon's resource-rich areas if it gets there first.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-united-states-natural-partners-in-space-exploration-says-us-official-526472">India, United States natural partners in space exploration, says US official</a>

"It is a fact: we’re in a space race." Nelson said that the US "better watch out that they (China) don’t get to a place on the moon under the guise of scientific research."

As proof of China's assertiveness over its territorial claims, the official cited the "earthly" example of Beijing's aggression over islands in the South China Sea where the nation has established military bases.

He said "it is not beyond the realm of possibility that they say, ‘Keep out, we’re here, this is our territory,'" for the Moon’s resource-rich areas.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science-technology/we-better-watch-out-nasa-chief-says-us-china-locked-in-space-race-as-mission-moon-heats-up-548854">‘We better watch out’: NASA chief says US, China locked in ‘space race’ as mission Moon heats up</a>

Recent years have seen China's space programme develop leaps and bounds. Last year, the nation successfully put up an Earth-orbiting space station and also mounted several lunar orbiting and sample-collecting missions.

As per reports, the third phase of China's Lunar mission is scheduled for 2025, and it seeks to establish a lunar research station on Moon's south pole.

Previously, US military officials too sounded the alarm over Chinese "militarisation" of space. While on a visit to Australia, Space Force Lt Gen Nina Armagno warned "It’s entirely possible they could catch up and surpass us," adding that the "progress they’ve made has been stunning – stunningly fast."&nbsp;

However, China denies the allegations and has repeatedly rejected the US interpretation of its space missions.

(With inputs from agencies)

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After a NASA top official warned that China may stake a claim on the moon's resources, the spokesperson for the Chinese embassy in Washington retorted saying, "Outer space is not a wrestling ground.

After a NASA top official warned that China may stake a claim on the moon's resources, the spokesperson for the Chinese embassy in Washington retorted saying, "Outer space is not a wrestling ground." China is "actively" working towards a "shared future for mankind in the space", said Liu Pengyu, the spokesperson. In an interview with Politico, former astronaut and current NASA administrator Bill Nelson said tthe US needs to "watch out" that its rival does not gain a foothold on the lunar surface. As per a Guardian report, the NASA official said the race between the two nations is intensifying and the next two years may decide which of them gains the advantage. Watch | China's 'heavenly palace' space station; US space command says 'Our space assets at risk' In response, Liu said: "China always advocates the peaceful use of outer space, opposes the weaponisation of and arms race in outer space, and works actively toward building a community with a shared future for mankind in the space domain." Nelson, the top NASA official, had warned that China, which is currently engaged in a "space race" with the United States, may stake a claim on Moon's resource-rich areas if it gets there first. Also read | India, United States natural partners in space exploration, says US official "It is a fact: we’re in a space race." Nelson said that the US "better watch out that they (China) don’t get to a place on the moon under the guise of scientific research." As proof of China's assertiveness over its territorial claims, the official cited the "earthly" example of Beijing's aggression over islands in the South China Sea where the nation has established military bases. He said "it is not beyond the realm of possibility that they say, ‘Keep out, we’re here, this is our territory,'" for the Moon’s resource-rich areas. Also read | ‘We better watch out’: NASA chief says US, China locked in ‘space race’ as mission Moon heats up Recent years have seen China's space programme develop leaps and bounds. Last year, the nation successfully put up an Earth-orbiting space station and also mounted several lunar orbiting and sample-collecting missions. As per reports, the third phase of China's Lunar mission is scheduled for 2025, and it seeks to establish a lunar research station on Moon's south pole. Previously, US military officials too sounded the alarm over Chinese "militarisation" of space. While on a visit to Australia, Space Force Lt Gen Nina Armagno warned "It’s entirely possible they could catch up and surpass us," adding that the "progress they’ve made has been stunning – stunningly fast." However, China denies the allegations and has repeatedly rejected the US interpretation of its space missions. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

'Outer space not a wrestling ground', retorts China after NASA official says it might claim Moon's resources

Space Race- It was a term coined during the cold war, the United States and the Soviet Union were super power rivals when the space race began in the year 1955. Now, political tensions boil over in Space.

Space race reflects earthly tensions

For 15 generations, members of the Abrauw clan have lived much like their ancestors. They farm with wooden plows in patches of the rainforest, gather medicinal plants and set traps to catch snakes and wild boar.

The land they occupy on Biak island is everything to them: their identity, the source of their livelihood and the link to their forebears. But now the tiny clan fears it will lose its place in the world as Indonesia pursues its longstanding quest to join the space age.

The Indonesian government claims to have acquired 250 acres of the clan’s ancestral land decades ago and has planned since 2017 to build a small-scale spaceport there to launch rockets. Clan leaders say the project would force them from their homes.

Also see |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/what-a-blast-the-rush-of-amateur-astronauts-420637" hreflang="en">What a blast: The rush of amateur astronauts</a>

Indonesia’s president, Joko Widodo, personally pitched SpaceX’s founder, Elon Musk, last year on the idea of launching rockets from Indonesia, without mentioning a site. Musk has yet to commit to a deal or comment on it publicly. But the possibility of his involvement has spurred a flurry of activity by Biak officials to promote the location, as well as renewed opposition from the island’s Indigenous people.

Building a spaceport is part of Joko’s push to modernize the Southeast Asian island nation with new airports, power plants and highways, often with little regard for environmental consequences. It is also part of the country’s checkered history of using questionable methods to acquire land from Indigenous people, leaving some groups destitute while benefiting influential Indonesians and international companies.

Leaders of the Biak tribe say building a spaceport on the site would mean cutting trees in a protected forest, disturbing the habitat of endangered birds and evicting the Abrauw.

Also see |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/want-to-become-a-space-tourist-here-is-all-you-need-to-do-399437" hreflang="en">Want to become a space tourist? Here is all you need to do</a>

“The position of the Indigenous people is clear: We reject the plan,” said Apolos Sroyer, chief of the Biak Customary Council, an assembly of clan chiefs. “We don’t want to lose our farms because of this spaceport. We don’t eat satellites. We eat taro, and fish from the sea. That is our way of life for generations. Tell Elon Musk that’s our stance.”

Biak, nearly the size of Maui, sits just north of the island of New Guinea and is part of Indonesia’s Papua province. During World War II, U.S. forces defeated the Japanese there in a key battle as Gen. Douglas MacArthur fought to retake the Pacific. Biak became part of Indonesia in the 1960s after the United Nations handed over the former Dutch territory of West Papua on the condition that Indonesia hold a popular vote.

Instead, in a 1969 vote regarded by many Papuans as rigged, Indonesia rounded up a thousand tribal leaders — including chiefs from Biak — and held them until they voted to join Indonesia in what paradoxically became known as “The Act of Free Choice.”

The dwindling Abrauw clan, one of 360 clans on Biak, now has about 90 members. Most live in the village of Warbon, on the island’s northeastern side, about a mile and a half from the proposed spaceport site.

The center of clan life is a flowering heliotrope tree by the ocean.

Waves lap gently on the white sand nearby, and black, brown and white butterflies flit among its branches. Clan members consider the tree sacred and say it marks the origin of the Abrauw. They often visit the tree to make offerings and pray to their ancestors. On occasion, they gather there and camp for days. If the spaceport was built, the tree would be off limits, as would the beach where the Abrauw often fish, and the forest where they farm.

Also see |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/who-is-winning-space-tourism-race-between-bezos-branson-and-musk-396420" hreflang="en">Who is winning space tourism race between Bezos, Branson and Musk?</a>

“For Papuans, land is identity,” said Marthen Abrauw, the clan chief, as he sat in the shade of the sacred tree on a recent afternoon. “We will lose our identity, and no other clan will accept us on their land. Where will our children and grandchildren go?”

Some clan members have found work in other parts of Indonesia, but those who remain in Warbon largely subsist on the fish they catch and the taro, cassava and sweet potatoes they grow. The clan practices nomadic farming, clearing trees in the forest for crops in a new location every two years.

Some walk or ride motorbikes to the nearby village of Korem to worship at the Pniel Evangelical Christian Church. Warbon, home to more than 1,000 people, includes members of numerous other clans who have married into the Abrauw but retain the clan identity of their male ancestors. The church also opposes the spaceport.

The Indonesian officials who support the project say Biak, just 70 miles south of the equator and facing the Pacific, would be ideal for launching rockets. SpaceX has plans to put tens of thousands of communications satellites into orbit in the coming years.

“This is our wealth,” said Biak’s regent, Herry Ario Naap, who is pushing for the spaceport. “Other regions may have oil or gold. We are given a strategic geographical location.”

In wooing Musk, Joko suggested that his car company, Tesla, could also collaborate with Indonesia to make electric vehicle batteries, as Indonesia is the world’s largest producer of nickel, a key component. A team from SpaceX visited Indonesia early this year to discuss possible cooperation, officials said.

Tesla submitted a battery production proposal to Indonesia in February, but the government declined to disclose details. Musk and his companies did not respond to requests for comment. In September, Joko bolstered the space program by increasing its budget twentyfold and placing it under the new National Research and Innovation Agency, which reports directly to him.

Laksana Tri Handoko, the agency chairman, who personally inspected the Biak site last month, said that the island remained a viable choice but that building the large spaceport he envisioned would require 10 times as much land. Controversy over the Biak site could prompt him to select an alternate location, such as Morotai island, about 550 miles northwest of Biak.

A key factor, he said, will be making sure the government has “clear and clean” title to the land. “Biak is not the one and only place,” he said. “We have many options.”

Government maps show that nearly all the Abrauw clan’s ancestral lands, including some homes, are within a proposed buffer zone that would be cleared of people should the small spaceport be built. The maps also show that the original project site is almost entirely within a protected forest.

The space agency has long said it bought the 250-acre site from the Abrauw clan in 1980. But the clan says it never sold the land. Four men who signed a document giving the agency title were not clan members and had no right to sell, according to clan leaders.

The older generation was too intimidated to object, they said, because the Indonesian army was conducting military operations on Biak and anyone who criticized the government could be jailed as a separatist.

“Silence was the only choice,” said Gerson Abrauw, a Protestant pastor and cousin of the clan chief. He dismissed government assurances that a spaceport would provide employment.

“They say the spaceport project will create jobs, but there is no space expert in our clan and in our villages,” he said. “What they mean is three years of cutting down trees, removing roots and digging foundations. After that, there will be a feast to say goodbye to us and then only those with an access card can enter the area.” 
&nbsp;

For 15 generations, members of the Abrauw clan have lived much like their ancestors. They farm with wooden plows in patches of the rainforest, gather medicinal plants and set traps to catch snakes and wild boar.

For 15 generations, members of the Abrauw clan have lived much like their ancestors. They farm with wooden plows in patches of the rainforest, gather medicinal plants and set traps to catch snakes and wild boar. The land they occupy on Biak island is everything to them: their identity, the source of their livelihood and the link to their forebears. But now the tiny clan fears it will lose its place in the world as Indonesia pursues its longstanding quest to join the space age. The Indonesian government claims to have acquired 250 acres of the clan’s ancestral land decades ago and has planned since 2017 to build a small-scale spaceport there to launch rockets. Clan leaders say the project would force them from their homes. Also see | What a blast: The rush of amateur astronauts Indonesia’s president, Joko Widodo, personally pitched SpaceX’s founder, Elon Musk, last year on the idea of launching rockets from Indonesia, without mentioning a site. Musk has yet to commit to a deal or comment on it publicly. But the possibility of his involvement has spurred a flurry of activity by Biak officials to promote the location, as well as renewed opposition from the island’s Indigenous people. Building a spaceport is part of Joko’s push to modernize the Southeast Asian island nation with new airports, power plants and highways, often with little regard for environmental consequences. It is also part of the country’s checkered history of using questionable methods to acquire land from Indigenous people, leaving some groups destitute while benefiting influential Indonesians and international companies. Leaders of the Biak tribe say building a spaceport on the site would mean cutting trees in a protected forest, disturbing the habitat of endangered birds and evicting the Abrauw. Also see | Want to become a space tourist? Here is all you need to do “The position of the Indigenous people is clear: We reject the plan,” said Apolos Sroyer, chief of the Biak Customary Council, an assembly of clan chiefs. “We don’t want to lose our farms because of this spaceport. We don’t eat satellites. We eat taro, and fish from the sea. That is our way of life for generations. Tell Elon Musk that’s our stance.” Biak, nearly the size of Maui, sits just north of the island of New Guinea and is part of Indonesia’s Papua province. During World War II, U.S. forces defeated the Japanese there in a key battle as Gen. Douglas MacArthur fought to retake the Pacific. Biak became part of Indonesia in the 1960s after the United Nations handed over the former Dutch territory of West Papua on the condition that Indonesia hold a popular vote. Instead, in a 1969 vote regarded by many Papuans as rigged, Indonesia rounded up a thousand tribal leaders — including chiefs from Biak — and held them until they voted to join Indonesia in what paradoxically became known as “The Act of Free Choice.” The dwindling Abrauw clan, one of 360 clans on Biak, now has about 90 members. Most live in the village of Warbon, on the island’s northeastern side, about a mile and a half from the proposed spaceport site. The center of clan life is a flowering heliotrope tree by the ocean. Waves lap gently on the white sand nearby, and black, brown and white butterflies flit among its branches. Clan members consider the tree sacred and say it marks the origin of the Abrauw. They often visit the tree to make offerings and pray to their ancestors. On occasion, they gather there and camp for days. If the spaceport was built, the tree would be off limits, as would the beach where the Abrauw often fish, and the forest where they farm. Also see | Who is winning space tourism race between Bezos, Branson and Musk? “For Papuans, land is identity,” said Marthen Abrauw, the clan chief, as he sat in the shade of the sacred tree on a recent afternoon. “We will lose our identity, and no other clan will accept us on their land. Where will our children and grandchildren go?” Some clan members have found work in other parts of Indonesia, but those who remain in Warbon largely subsist on the fish they catch and the taro, cassava and sweet potatoes they grow. The clan practices nomadic farming, clearing trees in the forest for crops in a new location every two years. Some walk or ride motorbikes to the nearby village of Korem to worship at the Pniel Evangelical Christian Church. Warbon, home to more than 1,000 people, includes members of numerous other clans who have married into the Abrauw but retain the clan identity of their male ancestors. The church also opposes the spaceport. The Indonesian officials who support the project say Biak, just 70 miles south of the equator and facing the Pacific, would be ideal for launching rockets. SpaceX has plans to put tens of thousands of communications satellites into orbit in the coming years. “This is our wealth,” said Biak’s regent, Herry Ario Naap, who is pushing for the spaceport. “Other regions may have oil or gold. We are given a strategic geographical location.” In wooing Musk, Joko suggested that his car company, Tesla, could also collaborate with Indonesia to make electric vehicle batteries, as Indonesia is the world’s largest producer of nickel, a key component. A team from SpaceX visited Indonesia early this year to discuss possible cooperation, officials said. Tesla submitted a battery production proposal to Indonesia in February, but the government declined to disclose details. Musk and his companies did not respond to requests for comment. In September, Joko bolstered the space program by increasing its budget twentyfold and placing it under the new National Research and Innovation Agency, which reports directly to him. Laksana Tri Handoko, the agency chairman, who personally inspected the Biak site last month, said that the island remained a viable choice but that building the large spaceport he envisioned would require 10 times as much land. Controversy over the Biak site could prompt him to select an alternate location, such as Morotai island, about 550 miles northwest of Biak. A key factor, he said, will be making sure the government has “clear and clean” title to the land. “Biak is not the one and only place,” he said. “We have many options.” Government maps show that nearly all the Abrauw clan’s ancestral lands, including some homes, are within a proposed buffer zone that would be cleared of people should the small spaceport be built. The maps also show that the original project site is almost entirely within a protected forest. The space agency has long said it bought the 250-acre site from the Abrauw clan in 1980. But the clan says it never sold the land. Four men who signed a document giving the agency title were not clan members and had no right to sell, according to clan leaders. The older generation was too intimidated to object, they said, because the Indonesian army was conducting military operations on Biak and anyone who criticized the government could be jailed as a separatist. “Silence was the only choice,” said Gerson Abrauw, a Protestant pastor and cousin of the clan chief. He dismissed government assurances that a spaceport would provide employment. “They say the spaceport project will create jobs, but there is no space expert in our clan and in our villages,” he said. “What they mean is three years of cutting down trees, removing roots and digging foundations. After that, there will be a feast to say goodbye to us and then only those with an access card can enter the area.”

Will an island in Indonesia become a new frontier in the space race?

Two billionaires are now officially in a race to make history. Jeff Bezos is taking an 82-year-old astronaut on his first trip to space. But, Richard Branson could beat him to the finish line.

Gravitas: This 82-year-old is set to become the oldest person to travel to space

New Zealand joined the exclusive space-race club on Thursday with the successful launch of a Rocket Lab test craft named Electron.

The rocket blasted off from the company&#39;s facility at Mahia, on the east coast of the North Island, to end three days of launch attempts aborted because of the weather.

&quot;Made it to space. Team delighted. More to follow!&quot; aerospace company Rocket Lab tweeted as New Zealand became the 11th country to launch into space.

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Made it to space. Team delighted. More to follow! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ItsaTest?src=hash">#ItsaTest</a>
&mdash; Rocket Lab (@RocketLabUSA) <a href="https://twitter.com/RocketLabUSA/status/867598469581504512">May 25, 2017</a></blockquote>
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New Zealand media said it was also believed to be the world&#39;s first successful launch from a private site, and marks a further advancement in the move towards private enterprise carrying small satellites and other cargo towards the stars.

&quot;In the past, it&#39;s been countries that go to space, not companies,&quot; said Rocket Lab founder and chief executive Peter Beck.

Before the launch, he described the venture as &quot;an important milestone for our team and for the space industry at large&quot;.&nbsp;

The launch is the first of three planned tests before Rocket Lab begins providing customers commercial satellite opportunities.

The 17 metre (55.7 foot) rocket is said to have reached speeds of more than 27,000 kilometres per hour during the two-and-a-half minute flight into orbit.&nbsp;

Beck has said that while there would be some celebrations following a successful launch, the main party would wait until they reached the commercial stage of taking satellite cargo into orbit.&nbsp;

Although a New Zealand firm, Rocket Lab&#39;s main backers include US companies Kholsa Ventures, Beesemer Venture Partners, Data Collective, Promus Ventures and Lockheed Martin.

(AFP)

New Zealand media said it was also believed to be the world's first successful launch from a private company's site

New Zealand joined the exclusive space-race club on Thursday with the successful launch of a Rocket Lab test craft named Electron. The rocket blasted off from the company's facility at Mahia, on the east coast of the North Island, to end three days of launch attempts aborted because of the weather. "Made it to space. Team delighted. More to follow!" aerospace company Rocket Lab tweeted as New Zealand became the 11th country to launch into space. Made it to space. Team delighted. More to follow! #ItsaTest — Rocket Lab (@RocketLabUSA) May 25, 2017 × New Zealand media said it was also believed to be the world's first successful launch from a private site, and marks a further advancement in the move towards private enterprise carrying small satellites and other cargo towards the stars. "In the past, it's been countries that go to space, not companies," said Rocket Lab founder and chief executive Peter Beck. Before the launch, he described the venture as "an important milestone for our team and for the space industry at large". The launch is the first of three planned tests before Rocket Lab begins providing customers commercial satellite opportunities. The 17 metre (55.7 foot) rocket is said to have reached speeds of more than 27,000 kilometres per hour during the two-and-a-half minute flight into orbit. Beck has said that while there would be some celebrations following a successful launch, the main party would wait until they reached the commercial stage of taking satellite cargo into orbit. Although a New Zealand firm, Rocket Lab's main backers include US companies Kholsa Ventures, Beesemer Venture Partners, Data Collective, Promus Ventures and Lockheed Martin. (AFP)

Successful launch puts New Zealand in space race

Meet Karsten Becker, the German scientist who is preparing for a race to the space - The Google Lunar XPRIZE. The finish line, believe it or not, is the moon. It is a challenge that aims to inspire engineers, entrepreneurs and innovators from around the world to develop low-cost methods of robotic space exploration. To win the race, the team must be the first to successfully place a spacecraft on the moon’s surface, travel 500 meters and transmit high definition videos and images back to the earth. What you see here is Becker’s spacecraft - ALINA that is preparing for this out of the world race. It has a 4-wheel configuration with a stereoscopic image camera and a tele lens, which is actually capable of looking at different wavelengths,to do some material composition analysis on the moon. It aims go to Apollo 17, the lunar rover vehicle standing on the moon to see how it has been doing after 40 years exposed to the lunar surface.

360? Video: German scientist preparing for space race to the moon

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