November 17, 2017

CNES at the 24th Asia-Pacific Regional Space Agency Forum

Friday 17 November in Bangalore, India, Jean-Yves Le Gall, President of CNES and President of the International Astronautical Federation (IAF), addressed the 24th session of the Asia-Pacific Regional Space Agency Forum (APRSAF) on the theme of space cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region. In his address, he underlined IAF’s key role connecting all space stakeholders. Asia-Pacific is currently the region of the world investing the most in the space sector. With 343 corporate members in 68 countries, IAF is the world’s leading space advocacy body and counts 73 members from Asia-Pacific. Its 68th International Astronautical Congress (IAC), held from 25-29 September in Adelaide, Australia, was a huge success, bringing together more than 5,000 delegates from 51 countries.

Space activities in Asia-Pacific have advanced to a stage where today the region can lay claim to several of the world’s largest space programmes. Alongside China, India and Japan, a number of more recent players such as Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, the Republic of Korea, Vietnam and Thailand are making their mark in a vibrant space sector. In the years ahead, APRSAF can count on IAF’s support to meet the challenge of harnessing space technologies and their applications for the benefit of the widest number.

On the sidelines of the forum, Jean-Yves Le Gall met A.S. Kiran Kumar, Chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), to review ongoing projects and opportunities for stepping up the partnership between the two agencies. He also met Avi Blasberger, Director General of the Israel Space Agency (ISA), to discuss the VENµS satellite mission to monitor vegetation, a key indicator of the impacts of climate and human activities.

Lastly, CNES’s President held a progress review meeting with executives from Team Indus. CNES is partnering Team Indus on its first private lunar mission, scheduled for launch next year, for which it is supplying its latest-generation CASPEX micro-camera to equip the mission’s rover.

CONTACTS
Fabienne Lissak     Head of Media    Tel: +33 (0)1 44 76 78 37     fabienne.lissak@cnes.fr
Pascale Bresson    Press Officer      Tel: +33 (0)1 44 76 75 39    pascale.bresson@cnes.fr
Raphaël Sart          Press Officer      Tel: +33 (0)1 44 76 74 51     raphael.sart@cnes.fr