July 3, 2024
KUALA LUMPUR (July 3): Spacetech company Angkasa-X Innovation Sdn Bhd has partnered with ADA Space Technology and Cangyu Space Technology to invest in the country’s space industry, spanning a satellite constellation, ground stations, a real-time satellite remote sensing data trading platform for the Asean region and an artificial intelligence (AI) data centre.
Total investments between Angkasa-X and Cangyu are expected to be over US$100 million (RM471.8 million).
Cangyu is a commercial aerospace company specialising in the design and operation of space-based information transmission systems in high and medium orbits.
ADA Space, an AI satellite internet technology company, will work with Angkasa-X to build a joint constellation of AI satellites and capture the data from these satellites to build an AI data centre.
“Throughout [the satellites] operation, it will generate lots of data. You need to store this data in the data centre and use AI algorithms to make meaning out of this data. With the satellite in space, there needs to be an AI data centre on the ground,” said Datuk Dr Sean Seah, group executive chairman and CEO of Angkasa-X.
“It is our recommendation to open this platform to share the data and develop future applications.”
This follows Angkasa-X’s approval from the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commision and the International Telecommunication Union to establish a constellation of 500 low earth orbit satellites.
“What this means is that in the next 10 to 15 years, we need to find partners to raise funds and launch satellites into orbit… We have agreed to put up to three to four satellites designed by the three companies to be in space in the next one or two years,” said Seah.
“The estimated investment [based on the three satellites] is about US$15 million.”
Securing data from in-orbit satellites will pave the way for solutions in areas such as land resources and mining monitoring, smart city planning, ecological environment monitoring, disaster monitoring and relief, public emergency health and digital solutions adaptation in rural areas.
Angkasa-X has also received a Malaysia Digital Acceleration grant from the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation. The grant will aid in building human capital for the development of the satellite constellation and research and development of various remote sensing applications.
There are also plans to develop an Angkasa-X tech park in Penang, said Seah. ADA Space and Cangyu will work with Angkasa-X in the set-up of the tech park in the state and the development of assembly integration and testing facilities.
“Joint research and development, satellite assembly, integration and testing and the establishment of ground segments will propel our satellite development and deployment process,” said Seah.