mu Space reveals today its ambitious targets for 2019, including the plan to enter into the projects of the US space agency NASA and other space exploration competitions.

In an interview at the international conference Pacific Telecommunications Council (PTC), mu Space CEO and founder James Yenbamroong laid out his vision and strategy to get his company to join in the space race.

“2019 promises to be challenging for mu Space. We’re planning to engage with NASA to demonstrate our capacity to undertake big projects and to validate the technologies that we’re currently developing — from concept to testing to flight,” James said.

According to NASA, a USD 10.5 billion budget or over half of the space agency’s USD 19.9 billion funding request for 2019 will be allocated to the space exploration program. Some of NASA’s biggest projects recently announced include the Commercial Lunar Payload Services, the development of a human landing system and the land development of the space agency’s Kennedy Space Center.

“Aside from NASA projects, we’re also targeting to join in the lunar exploration contest The Moon Race,” James added.

The Moon Race is global competition aiming to develop technologies that could contribute to the sustainable exploration on the moon. It is backed by Airbus, Blue Origin and the European Space Agency. The competition’s application period and details on monetary prizes are due to be announced to the public in the early part of this year.

“We’re 100% prepared,” James said when asked about the readiness of mu Space to take part in the projects.

“We can acquire the knowledge and skills needed to differentiate ourselves from the competition, and to build a disruptive approach to space exploration. We also have a business entity recently set up in the US to bid for the projects,” he informed.

mu Space, founded in 2017, develops space and satellite communication technologies to accelerate the adoption of Internet of Things devices and smart cities. In 2018, the company made history for sending into space the first payload from Asia to be onboard a Blue Origin rocket.

mu Space plans to launch its own satellite in 2021, and to lead space technology development and encourage new space investments in Asia-Pacific.