Experts lay out path to the stars at Thailand Space Week
The space economy is boosting living conditions on Earth as a crucial tool for innovation, sustainability, and economic health, Thailand’s space agency chief told Thailand Space Week 2023 in Bangkok this week.
"Some people think the space economy is small, but it is a new approach to how the government and private sectors work together," said Pakorn Apaphant, director of the Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency (Gistda).
Pakorn outlined Thailand’s five-decade-old journey in space development, culminating in plans expedited by new PM Srettha Thavisin to build the country’s first spaceport for rocket launches.
The Kingdom is seeking support for its leap into space from countries including Japan and China, he added.
Thailand is hosting Space Week as a platform for international experts to exchange knowledge and seek partnerships in development of satellite, rocket and other space-related missions.
Stage one: Cooperation
Everything starts with the government creating a roadmap identifying areas that need investment and thereby creating incentives for private investment, explained Oliver Chalvet, regional director for Airbus Defence and Space.
Meanwhile educational institutions are responsible for creating professionals in the space ecosystem, such as scientists, engineers and technicians, he added.
“The government, educational institutions and the private sector should work together to create a space ecosystem since this requires high technology and a lot of investment”, said Chalvet.
He cited the launch of Thailand's low-earth-orbit satellite, Theos-2, on October 9 as an example of successful collaboration between Airbus and Gistda, adding such cooperation could create thousands of space-related jobs in Thailand.
Government is the booster engine
Also urging Thailand to grasp opportunities was the chief of Japan’s space agency, Jaxa.
Thailand should create challenging policies, seek international partnerships and support educational institutions to drive space development forward, said Hiroshi Yamakawa.
Japan has achieved success in space development thanks to strong support from its government, which has switched the focus from security to an approach driven by science and technology, he added.
“Space will be everywhere not only when we see it on TV,” he predicted.
Space data: a great leap forward
Data-driven space technology is playing a crucial role in the new mission to forge sustainable economies, said Ronald Tong, acting director of Singapore’s space agency, OSTIn.
He gave the example of data from satellites that are helping people cope with climate, aviation and maritime challenges, including greenhouse gas reduction, airspace congestion, and illegal shipping.
While agreeing that collaboration between government and private sectors was crucial, he added that promoting digital security, boosting workforce skills, and creating digital solutions were key to driving the space economy forward.
