Australian Industry Shooting for the Stars

There is an increasing need for space defence as nations and private companies race to secure and expand their interests. Recent incidents in North America, including the downing of foreign objects, highlight the intensifying struggle for dominance, influence, and awareness in the evolving space and near-space domains. Australian industry is playing a significant role in the development of technology within this domain through the efforts of companies including Gilmour Space Technologies, Black Sky Aerospace, Fleet Space Technologies, Saber Astronautics, Myriota, as well as accelerators such as Delta-V Space Alliance and government initiatives including the Next Generation Technologies Fund.

Heightened competition in the civil and military space industry is making headlines at the moment, particularly in the United States as incidents escalate and concerns grow over the lack of defined boundaries and rules of engagement. As nations and private companies race to secure and expand their interests in space, the importance of developing a robust and capable space industry to safeguard national security interests is growing. The space economy reached USD $469 billion in 2021, with the Australian Government investing AUD $723.2 million in the same year in space-related activities such as funding for the Australian Space Agency, the International Space Investment Initiative, the Space Infrastructure Fund, and Cooperative Research Centres (CRCs). This growth has led to concerns about a new space race, as industry and state-sponsored competitors try to identify and exploit policy and capability gaps to gain competitive advantage.

In response to the growing number of space assets, nations are increasingly focused on enhancing their space industries and associated policies to protect their intelligence, economic and technological interests. The importance of protecting and controlling these assets is becoming increasingly relevant with the rise of private companies like Elon Musk's Starlink, which is currently providing critical support to countries like Ukraine. The emergence of new threats, including weapons capable of taking down satellites, has led to the creation of new space forces and alliances.

The creation of the United States Space Force, space forces in Russia and China, and the increasing number of space defence alliances are indicative of the growing geopolitical tensions in the space domain. NATO has declared space as one of its military domains and has integrated space commands into its Allied Air Command, while the Combined Space Operations Centre (CSpO), a joint endeavour by the United States with partners including the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia, was created to coordinate defence capabilities. These efforts reflect the growing interest by counties, including Australia, to address policy and technological gaps.

In addition to involvement in the CSpO, the Australian Government has established Defence Space Command (DSC) to provide strategic direction and coordination of Australia's space capabilities, including defence and national security, and to ensure the safe and responsible use of space by Australian government agencies and industry partners. The DSC is working to expand space capability, develop partnerships with industry and academia, and support defence space power.

Tying these efforts together is the recently released Defence Space Strategy which sets a trajectory for Australia to ensure its access to space and better integrate diverse space capabilities. The Government has committed $7 billion over a decade to an evolving plan that focuses on enhancing capability and integration with a focus on sovereign capacity. The Government has also committed to several multi-billion dollar projects, including JP9102 (satellite communications) and JP9360 (Space Domain Awareness). In addition, initiatives such as the Next Generation Technologies Fund and the SmartSat CRC provide significant funding and support for research and development in emerging and future technologies related to the space industry.

Within this environment of growing investment, companies such as Gilmour Space Technologies, Black Sky Aerospace, Fleet Space Technologies, Saber Astronautics and Myriota are developing a range of cutting-edge technologies and services, including low-cost launch vehicles, satellite connectivity for the Internet of Things (IoT) market, and space operations software:

• Gilmour Space Technologies is focused on developing low-cost launch vehicles that can deploy payloads into orbit at a fraction of the cost of traditional rockets. The company has already completed multiple test launches.
• ?Black Sky Aerospace is another company focused on launching rockets, specialising in developing hybrid rockets that use a combination of liquid and solid fuels, which can offer greater flexibility and efficiency in terms of launch capabilities.
• Fleet Space Technologies is a satellite communications company that provides connectivity for the IoT market. The company's low-cost, low-power satellites can provide coverage for remote areas and enable various applications such as asset tracking, environmental monitoring, and precision agriculture.
• Saber Astronautics is developing space operations software to help companies manage their space-based assets more efficiently. The company's software can monitor satellite health, predict potential malfunctions, and automate many of the routine tasks associated with space operations.
• Myriota is another satellite communications company focused on developing low-power, low-cost communication modules that can be integrated into various IoT devices.

Amid growing competition in the space domain, Australia, through government policy and investment, along with industry innovation, is establishing itself as a significant player in an area that should no longer be considered the next frontier but a current priority.

Companies and organisations mentioned:???????

Gilmour Space Technologies: https://www.gspacetech.com/

Black Sky Aerospace: Black Sky Aerospace

Fleet Space Technologies: https://www.fleetspace.com/

Saber Astronautics: https://www.saberastro.com/

Myriota: https://myriota.com/

Delta-V Space Alliance: deltavspacehub.com

Next Generation Technologies Fund: https://www.dst.defence.gov.au/ngtf

SmartSat CRC: SmartSat CRC

#australianmade #defenceindustry #spaceindustry #spaceforce #defencetechnology