MEASAT offers unique space experience in new collaboration with Apadilangit

MEASAT offers unique space experience in new collaboration with Apadilangit

MEASAT Global Berhad is continuing its space science and technology awareness drive, in a new collaboration with Apadilangit Space Academy, Malaysia’s leading space and tech education provider.

This year, MEASAT is teaming up with the Apadilangit Space Academy to kick off the Malaysia Space Dream initiative established by Apadilangit Space Academy, by hosting two sessions of the Postcard to Space activity at the MEASAT Teleport and Broadcast Centre – a public session on 22 November involving 50 secondary students aged 13 to 18 years (Forms 1 to 5) and a Family Day session on 29 November for MEASAT personnel and their school-going children aged 7 and above.

The Malaysia Space Dream initiative, aimed at inspiring youths to be part of Malaysia’s space sector knowledge workforce, is a multiphase programme comprising Postcard to Space, Earth & Space Online Hackathon and National Space Camp. At MEASAT, the Postcard to Space activity will see participants creating a postcard to express their space dreams using AI tools, guided by the Apadilangit Space Academy.

The completed postcards will be printed and sent to the United States to Blue Origin’s Club for the Future, together with postcards created by other Postcard to Space participants across Malaysia. Spacetech company Blue Origin was founded by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos. In the United States, the postcards will be flown more than 100km high to the edge of space in a rocket, and once they return to Earth, are marked with a “Flown to Space” stamp and returned to the participants as unique keepsakes. Apadilangit Space Academy is currently Blue Origin’s official partner in Malaysia for the Malaysia Space Dream initiative.

Participants will also experience interactive demonstrations and a guided tour of MEASAT’s facilities to learn how MEASAT’s satellites and technology solutions are connecting and empowering communities across Malaysia and beyond.

“MEASAT is pleased to work with Apadilangit Space Academy once again, this time for the Malaysia Space Dream initiative. It is inspiring and beneficial for young Malaysians to have a tangible space experience through Postcard to Space, besides learning to use AI tools. As a pioneer in Malaysian spacetech, we have long been committed to developing a robust talent pipeline for the sector, by enabling our young personnel to continuously pursue self-advancement, and by supporting STEM education and digital inclusion among Malaysian youths – so the next generation of spacetech leaders can realise their full potential. By participating in the Malaysia Space Dream initiative, we are also pleased to contribute towards the goals of the National Space Policy 2030,” said Yau Chyong Lim, Chief Operating Officer of MEASAT.

The National Space Policy 2030 charts Malaysia's direction in developing a sustainable and competitive space ecosystem that contributes to national growth, security and well-being.

Hafez Murtza, Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Apadilangit Space Academy, added, “We are grateful to MEASAT for hosting the first activity of the Malaysia Space Dream initiative – initiated and developed by Apadilangit Space Academy. Through this effort, we want to give young Malaysians a tangible connection to space exploration, and the opportunity to experience space as something real and reachable, not abstract or distant. By offering early exposure and hands-on experiences, we hope young Malaysians will be inspired to play a role in realising our national space vision, turning imagination into action and shaping the space technologies and solutions of tomorrow.”

The Postcard to Space phase of the Malaysia Space Dream initiative targets to collect a minimum of 5,000 postcards nationwide, with a focus on participation from kindergarten, primary, secondary and tertiary students. Meanwhile, the Earth & Space Online Hackathon phase targets to have 300 primary and lower secondary students (comprising 100 teams) solve real-world environmental challenges using space data, AI and innovation, where they will hone skills in critical thinking and problem solving, teamwork, and basic AI tools and coding. From the hackathon phase, 60 students will be selected to attend a National Space Camp, where these future scientists, innovators and astronauts will gain hands-on learning in robotics, satellites, rocketry and AI for space, in turn further enhancing their abilities in critical thinking, creativity, collaboration and communication.

In addition to MEASAT, the Malaysia Space Dream initiative is supported by the Malaysia Space Agency (“MYSA”), Malaysian Industry-Government Group for High Technology (“MIGHT”), Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (“MDEC”), Malaysia Space Industry Consortium (“MASIC”), Malaysian Scouts Association, SpaceTech Malaysia Association (“SMA”) and the National Tech Association of Malaysia (“PIKOM”). More information on the Malaysia Space Dream programme can be found at https://spacedream.apadilangit.com/