KUALA LUMPUR: A National Space Board will be formed to enforce the recently-gazetted Space Board Act (Act 834), says Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba.
The Science, Technology and Innovation Minister said the board would be tasked with creating and enacting rules and regulations related to space exploration in accordance with international treaties.
“An interim Space Board has been (temporarily) formed and will come into full force early next year, when the regulations are finalised,” he said.
Dr Adham said this when speaking to reporters after launching the International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium (IGARSS) 2022 at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre on Monday (July 18).
He said the board would be chaired by the Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry secretary-general, the deputy chairman will be the ministry deputy secretary-general and would comprise six committee members.
“The committee members will come from the important (relevant) ministries including the Transport Ministry, Home Affairs Ministry and the National Security Council,” he added.
He also said the board will have jurisdiction in air space above 100km from sea level.
With the board, Dr Adham said Malaysia may soon have its own space launch site, especially since the country is located close to the equator resulting in a shorter distance to space, hence saving cost.
On the Act, Dr Adham said it comprises four parts: governance, regulation, management and enforcement, and protection and liability.
The most important, he added, was regulation.
There are four parts under regulation, he said, which were licensing allowing individuals and organisations to create their own space crafts, Issuing launch permits, recommending or endorsing the launch and space object registration.
“This will be healthy progress for our nation’s space industry,” he said, adding that Malaysia already has in place the Space Policy 2030.
On IGARSS 2022, Dr Adham said Nasa’s participation in it shows how much they want to help our region in terms of climate change and weather monitoring.
“Through the symposium, we have brought Nasa and their technology to our country,” he said, adding that the Malaysia Space Agency will be collaborating with Nasa.
The symposium, hosted by IEEE Geoscience and Remote Sensing Society and Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR), is supported by the Malaysian Space Agency; Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry; and Malaysia Convention and Exhibition Bureau.
