Bangkok (AsiaNews) – The space race is not leaving Asia indifferent. Following China and India – with their own ambitious long-term programmes – and Japan, which is cooperating with other leading nations in space exploration, countries that have so far been absent are now entering the space arena, an important showcase for highlighting their international standing and developing technological capabilities.
Among these is Thailand, which, despite facing economic stagnation and social instability, aims to play a role that goes beyond that demonstrated so far by astronomical initiatives, such as the large radio telescope at Narit (National Astronomical Research Institute of Thailand) – the largest in South-East Asia, located in the northern province of Chiang Mai – which could soon be joined by a second telescope.
For Bangkok, however, it is time to look even beyond Earth’s atmosphere, and the country’s proximity to the Equator could give it a competitive advantage in the satellite launch market. This possibility is currently being studied by the government agency GISTDA (Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency), which in August organised a week-long event dedicated to the topic of space launch facilities.
The panel served as a prelude to the Thailand Space Expo, which will take place in Bangkok from 28 to 31 October, coinciding with the Asia-Pacific Regional Space Agency Forum (26–30 October) and the tenth workshop and symposium of the Global Moon Village – an international cooperation project promoted by the European Space Agency to establish a permanent, multinational, human- and robot-managed settlement on the Moon.
The challenges are many, but this extensive series of events will serve to analyse the strategies Thailand must adopt to move beyond its current status as a mere ‘passenger’ in space missions. For the time being, the focus is primarily on expanding local and international expertise. A number of commercial firms – from satellite manufacturers to launch companies – are establishing operational bases in Bangkok.
This is a significant development, because whilst under current conditions the investment required for a space launch facility would be enormous, specialist expertise remains insufficient and the disadvantage compared with others is considerable, Thailand is making it clear that it does not wish to be excluded from a space race increasingly dominated by private companies. Nor does it wish to deny itself participation in high-level initiatives that are already operational.
Recently, the International Space Station (ISS) – a joint initiative of the US, Russian, European, Japanese and Canadian space agencies, orbiting at an altitude of approximately 400 kilometres with mixed crews – hosted a Thai experiment. In 2027, the orbital boundary will be surpassed when an instrument made in Thailand will be on board the Chinese Chang’e 7 mission bound for the Moon.
This latest bilateral cooperation forms part of a wider project by Beijing to involve allied nations in its space missions as a demonstration of soft power. For example, the training of two Pakistani military pilots is nearing completion; in the coming weeks, one of them will be selected as a cosmonaut – the first non-Chinese one – to be sent to the Tiangong space station during the launch window, which closes in November.
Preparations are also continuing for the Chang’e 8 mission, which in 2029 will carry the first mission of African origin to the Moon: Africa2Moon. This consists of three spherical receivers containing antennas which, once deployed at the lunar South Pole, will test the possibilities for low-frequency reception of signals from deep space in a region free from terrestrial interference.
