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• China successfully launches Yaogan-34 02 remote sensing satellite

  JIUQUAN, March 17 (Xinhua) -- China successfully sent a new remote sensing satellite of the Yaogan-34 series into space from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China at 3:09 p.m. on Thursday (Beijing Time).

  The Yaogan-34 02 satellite was carried by a Long March-4C rocket and successfully entered its planned orbit.

  This remote sensing satellite will be used for the survey of land resources, urban planning, crop yield estimation, and disaster prevention and reduction.

  It was the 411th flight mission of the Long March carrier rocket series.

• China's Kuaizhou-1A rocket launches satellite

  A Kuaizhou-1A carrier rocket carrying the Jilin-1 Gaofen 02F satellite blasts off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in the northwest China, Oct. 27, 2021. The satellite was launched at 2:19 p.m. (Beijing Time) and entered the planned orbit. (Photo by Wang Jiangbo/Xinhua)

  JIUQUAN, Oct. 27 (Xinhua) -- China on Wednesday sent a new satellite into space from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in the northwestern Gansu Province.

  The Jilin-1 Gaofen 02F satellite was launched by a Kuaizhou-1A (KZ-1A) carrier rocket at 2:19 p.m. (Beijing Time) and entered the planned orbit.

  It is an optical remote sensing satellite that can provide high resolution images and high-speed data transmission.

  Kuaizhou-1A, which is Chinese for fast ship, is a low-cost small solid-fuel carrier rocket that has a short preparation period. Developed by the China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation, the rocket is designed to launch low-orbit satellites weighing under 300 kg.

  Since their first commercial mission in 2017, KZ-1A rockets have sent 21 satellites into space.

  Wednesday's launch was the 12th mission by Kuaizhou-1A series rockets, according to the launch center.

  Source: Xinhua

• China unveils Shenzhou-12 astronauts for space station construction

  JIUQUAN, June 16 (Xinhua) -- Chinese astronauts Nie Haisheng, Liu Boming and Tang Hongbo will carry out the Shenzhou-12 manned spaceflight mission, and Nie will be the commander, the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) announced on Wednesday.

  This will be the first manned mission during the construction of China's space station, and the crew will stay in orbit for three months, Ji Qiming, assistant to the director of the CMSA, told a press conference held at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, where the Shenzhou-12 spaceship will be launched on Thursday morning.

  Nie, the most experienced among the three, was in the Shenzhou-6 mission in 2005 and the Shenzhou-10 mission in 2013.

  It will be Liu's second spaceflight, as he once participated in the Shenzhou-7 mission in 2008, which featured a landmark spacewalk.

  Tang will be a newcomer to space. He became a member of the second batch of Chinese astronauts in 2010.

  Zhai Zhigang, Wang Yaping and Ye Guangfu will be the backup crew, Ji said.

  The Shenzhou-12 spaceship will conduct a fast autonomous rendezvous and docking with the space station core module Tianhe and form a complex with Tianhe and the cargo craft Tianzhou-2.

  China launched Tianhe on April 29 and Tianzhou-2 on May 29. The two completed a computer-orchestrated rendezvous and docking on May 30, waiting for the first crewed mission to unpack the cargo.

  TOUGHER TASKS

  The Shenzhou-12 astronauts are expected to set a new record for China's manned space mission duration and their work is also more complicated and challenging than previous crewed missions, said CMSA director Hao Chun.

  According to Ji, in the Shenzhou-12 mission, the crew will complete four major tasks in orbit.

  First, they will operate and manage the complex, including the in-orbit test of the Tianhe module, validation of the recycling and life support system, testing and operation training of the robotic arm, as well as management of materials and waste.

  Second, they will move, assemble and test extravehicular spacesuits and perform two extravehicular activities for work including assembling an extravehicular toolbox, lifting the panoramic camera and installing extended pump sets.

  Third, they will carry out space science experiments and technology experiments, as well as public outreach activities.

  Fourth, they will manage their own health through daily life care, physical exercise, and regular monitoring and assessment of their own health status.

  The astronauts have all carried out solid ground training and mission preparation under comprehensive training programs and plans, Ji said.

  COLORFUL SPACE LIFE

  The Tianhe module will provide the astronauts three times as much space as what was available in the Tiangong-2 space lab, with three independent bedrooms and one bathroom.

  Meanwhile, the astronauts can choose from more than 120 kinds of space food that not only taste good but provide balanced nutrition with a long shelf-life.

  The dining area is equipped with food heating device, refrigerator, water dispenser and folding table. In the exercise area, the treadmill and spin bike provide them exercise to maintain physical health.

  The two-way video communication and e-mails between the station and ground control will be realized through the space communication link and video communication equipment.

  Compared with previous crewed missions, the core module of the space station is, for the first time, equipped with a life support system, including subsystems for electrolytic oxygen generation, condensate water collection and treatment, urine treatment, carbon dioxide removal, and the removal of trace amounts of harmful gas to ensure the long-term in-orbit stay of astronauts, Ji said.

  Source: http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2021-06/16/c_1310010886.htm

• Visa Tap to Phone Transforms Payment Acceptance for Sellers Worldwide

  Tbilisi—Oct. 23, 2020—As the world increasingly turns to digital payments amidst COVID-19, a simple mobile app can help millions of sellers worldwide quickly and securely accept contactless payments, while improving the checkout experience for customers. After piloting Visa Tap to Phone over the past year, Visa (NYSE:V) today announced product availability in more than 15 markets with plans to expand to the United States and accelerate global product growth in the rest of the world via more than 35 new partners, including  Visa Ready for Tap to Phone partners.

  Tap to Phone transforms current generation Android smartphones or tablets into contactless, or tap to pay, software-based point of sale (softPOS) terminals without additional hardware. As part of Visa’s commitment to digitally-enable 50 million small and micro businesses, this cost-effective tool helps businesses quickly access the digital economy, prevent lost sales and improve cash flow by accepting contactless payments anywhere, anytime. Already, the number of sellers using Tap to Phone has grown by 200% over the past year and is now live in numerous countries across Europe, Middle East, Africa, Asia Pacific and Latin America. Recent launches for Tap to Phone include Belarus, Malaysia, Peru, Russia and South Africa, with upcoming launches planned in Brazil, Italy, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom and more.

  Opportunity for Tap to Phone by the numbers:

  • Two billion Android devices globally could transform to payment acceptance machines[1].
  • Tap to Phone holds particular promise for the 180 million micro and small merchants (MSM) around the world, where fewer than 10% of MSMs in many emerging markets currently accept digital payments[2].
  • In a survey conducted by Visa[3], 63% of MSMs said they would likely implement Tap to Phone in their own businesses and more than 50% of consumers said they would likely use Tap to Phone if offered to them.

  “It was just five years ago when Visa set out to enable virtually any IoT or mobile device to make payments and now today, we are enabling many of those same devices to accept payments in a very simple way with Visa Tap to Phone,” said Mary Kay Bowman, global head of buyer and seller solutions, Visa. “With billions of phones around the world at the ready, the opportunity that comes with lighting them up as payment acceptance devices is enormous. Visa Tap to Phone could be one of the most profound ways to reinvent the physical shopping experience.”

  Tapping to pay, or contactless payments, is growing rapidly in the COVID-19 era. Visa has seen tap to pay payments grow by 40% year-over-year[4],  In a recent Visa survey, nearly half of consumers (48%) said they would not shop at a store that offers only payment methods requiring contact with a cashier or shared machine like a card reader[5], making it critical for businesses to expand their acceptance methods beyond cash.

  Reinventing In-store Shopping, No Longer Constrained to the POS

  According to Visa data[6], casual dining, travel resources and grocery are currently the most typical category of use for softPOS solutions. However, Tap to Phone can elevate consumer experiences in additional ways including:

  • Line busting: With six-foot social distancing mandates in effect, lines can become overwhelming. Tap to Phone helps employees to checkout customers quickly, anywhere around the store. 
  • Transit: In Japan and Belarus, Visa was first to show how Tap to Phone can help eliminate the need for standalone ticket machines and additional validation hardware for conductors.
  • Nomadic and service-based businesses: Make a sale from anywhere and get paid on the spot without having a hardline POS or adding payment accessories.
  • Pay on delivery: Tap to Phone decreases friction when consumers pay for delivery, eliminating the need for cash and limiting touch during the transaction.

  “We always look for ways to improve our customer experience, from personalized service to ease of payment. That's where Tap to Phone comes in. Customers are always curious and impressed when we process their payment using nothing but our mobile phone. Not only has Tap to Phone been helpful for our in-store sales, but we also use it for our contactless product deliveries, helping customers stay at home and pay with their cards, which makes them gain confidence in our brand,” said Karla Avila, founder of Extenclip in Costa Rica.

  Building a Global Partner Network to Accelerate Product Availability

  Also announced today, the Visa Ready for Tap to Phone program will help to fast track global product availability and could reduce the functional evaluation for solution providers from almost two months to a few hours. Visa Ready for Tap to Phone now enables technology companies to become Visa Ready certified, giving sellers the peace of mind that the technology solution they choose meets Visa’s high standards for security. Initial participants of Visa Ready for Tap to Phone include Cellfie, Center of Corporate Technologies M4Bank, Digitsecure, GeoPagos, IBA Group, iCARD AD Bulgaria, MYPINPAD, PayCore, Phos, Quest, Rubean, SmartPesa, SoftPos, Soft Space and Techno.  

  Additional Visa approved technology, acquirer and government partners include Alfa Bank Kazakhstan, BPS Sberbank Belarus, CIMB. FirstData, FT Technologies, Halyk Bank, Hong Leong Bank, Kazpost, MagicCube. Maybank, Niubiz, Oschadbank, Paymentsense, PostePay, Priorbank, Promerica, Russian Standard Bank, Sberbank Kazakhstan, Symbiotic and Worldline/SIX Payment Services.

  If you are a solution provider or acquirer interested in learning more, please visit the Visa Ready website for more details.

  Tap to Phone: How It Works

  Sellers download an app, supported by their acquirer, and after registering and selecting their participating bank, the sellers can start accepting contactless payments in just a few minutes. Tap to Phone builds on top of the security of an EMV chip transaction, in which each transaction contains a dynamic cryptogram that cannot be reused. To see more about how Tap to Phone works, a video demonstration is available here.

  ###

  About Visa Inc.

  Visa Inc. (NYSE: V) is the world’s leader in digital payments. Our mission is to connect the world through the most innovative, reliable and secure payment network - enabling individuals, businesses and economies to thrive. Our advanced global processing network, VisaNet, provides secure and reliable payments around the world, and is capable of handling more than 65,000 transaction messages a second. The company’s relentless focus on innovation is a catalyst for the rapid growth of connected commerce on any device, and a driving force behind the dream of a cashless future for everyone, everywhere.  As the world moves from analog to digital, Visa is applying our brand, products, people, network and scale to reshape the future of commerce. For more information, visit usa.visa.com/about-visa, visa.com.ge, facebook.com/VisaGeorgiaGE

  
  

  ---

  [1] IHS Markit cited by NFC Forum; December 2019

  [2] “Small Merchants, Big Opportunity, The Forgotten Path to Financial Inclusion,” Dalberg

  [3] “Understanding The Future of International Tap to Phone Acceptance Study,” Visa

  [4] Visa Inc, Q2 2020 Earnings

  [5] “Visa Back to Business Study,” August 2020

  [6] Data provided by Visa’s Tap to Phone program participants from January 2019 through September 2020.

   

• SES Reach Grows to 355 Million Homes Worldwide

  SES strengthens its position as the world’s leading video distributor via satellite as the number of TV households it serves increased by more than 4 million to over 355 million in 2018.

  The results from the SES’s annual market research highlighted further growth in SES’s technical reach and underlined the important role of satellite in delivering video to large audiences directly and indirectly in a reliable and cost-effective manner.

  The results showed an increase in SES’s technical reach in Europe, Latin America,           Asia-Pacific, and Africa. In Africa, this included the addition of Kenya to the survey where more than 2 million TV homes across the country rely on SES for their TV content. In Europe, satellite broadcasting, and especially Direct-to-Home (DTH), remains the leading distribution technology, with SES serving 167 million TV homes across the continent. The SES fleet is also delivering video content to 72 million households across North America, mainly via the important U.S. cable neighbourhoods. Across other markets, SES continues to expand its technical reach, now serving 37 million TV homes in Asia-Pacific, 33 million in Latin America, 33 million in Africa, and 13 million TV homes in the Middle East.

  The results underscore the essential value proposition of satellite broadcasting as a highly attractive platform for reliable and cost-effective video delivery to large audiences. These qualities make it ideal for distributing HD and UHD programming, and SES is today delivering nearly 2,800 HD TV channels and over 40 commercial UHD TV channels – more than any other satellite service provider.

    About Georgia

  The Satellite Monitor Study YE2018 results show that satellite is maintaining its lead in the Georgian TV market, reaching 38% of TV homes directly, which is over 410 000 DTH homes. This compares with 11%, 14% and 37% for terrestrial, cable and IPTV reception modes respectively. SES serves two-thirds of Georgian TV homes, counting 670,000 in 2018 compared to 560,000 in 2017. The results of the study also indicate that in Georgia standard definition screens are a minority and there is a growing uptake of HD and Ultra HD, as 44.4% of homes own HD and 15.3% UHD TV screens in YE2018, which compares to 40.5% and 10.6% in YE2017.

  About the Satellite Monitor

  2018 was the 25th year that SES has conducted the Satellite Monitor survey. The detailed data it delivers about the reach of SES and video viewing trends has proven to be a valuable tool for SES’s customers, supporting SES’s position as a trusted partner to the world’s leading broadcasters and content owners. Georgia was included into the Satellite Monitor survey 4 years ago and now the comparative data shows the main viewing trends of the Georgian population since 2015.

  “At SES, we invest in tools and services to help our customers gather information about markets they operate in so that they can be even more successful in their business. The Satellite Monitor is one such tool that demonstrates the long-term value of SES’s core video neighbourhoods and extensive reach to our customers,” said Håkan Sjödin, Vice President of Sales for Nordic, Baltic and Eastern Europe. “Regardless of the shift in consumption habits, it is clear that our business remains an essential tool in delivering a high-quality viewing experience to the world’s leading broadcasters and content owners. In Georgia the uptake in purchases of HD and Ultra HD TV sets shows us that it is set-up to develop even further.”

   

    Watch the satellite monitor animation here: https://vimeo.com/327003965

   

  About SES

  
  SES is the world’s leading satellite operator with over 70 satellites in two different orbits,   Geostationary Orbit (GEO) and Medium Earth Orbit (MEO). It provides a diverse range of customers with global video distribution and data connectivity services through two business units: SES Video and SES Networks. SES Video reaches over 355 million TV homes, through Direct-to-Home (DTH) platforms and cable, terrestrial, and IPTV networks globally. The SES Video portfolio includes MX1, a leading media service provider offering a full suite of innovative services for both linear and digital distribution, and the ASTRA satellite system, which has the largest DTH television reach in Europe. SES Networks provides global managed data services, connecting people in a variety of sectors including telecommunications, maritime, aeronautical, and energy, as well as governments and institutions across the world. The SES Networks portfolio includes GovSat, a 50/50 public-private partnership between SES and the Luxembourg government, and O3b, the only non-geostationary system delivering fibre-like broadband services today. Further information is available at: www.ses.com