Mining and Energy Technology to Accelerate the Space Industry

A shared vision to create complementary industry solutions is driving opportunities for cross-sector exchange of knowhow and technology to solve space sector problems by leveraging innovation from the mining and oil & gas sectors. 

Space is the ultimate in terms of harsh operating environments and the goal of the Australian Space Agency (ASA) to grow the Australian space sector to $12Bn and 30,000 jobs by 2030 provides a catalyst for cross sector collaboration.

The latest Quantum Technology Exchange leadership breakfast featured an expert panel discussion on how technology and systems from Australia’s mining and energy sectors will play an integral role in the space sector. 

The abilities to manage and maintain facilities in the North West shelf or operations in the Pilbara from Perth are very similar to those required to manage and maintain NASA’s lunar gateway from Earth. There are multibillion-dollar opportunities to do just that.

Keynote speaker, The Honourable Dave Kelly, Western Australia Minister for Jobs, Science, Technology and Innovation. “The technology that is already utilised in Western Australian for remote operations in mining and the offshore oil and gas industry, has the potential to be utilised for remote mining operations on the moon.

 The State is keen to maintain Western Australia’s advantage in remote operations on Earth, and to also expand that capability to deliver remote operation solutions for off-Earth activities. We can show Australia and the world that Western Australia is serious about space, and we are ready, willing and capable to transition from remote operations of the Western Australian coast to remote operations in space.”

In opening the event, QuantumTX Founder, Peter Rossdeutscher, commented that applying open innovation mindsets to co-create solutions across domains both amalgamates demand and draws in new thinking. Necessity is the mother of invention. Western Australians have overcome remote and harsh operating conditions to drive world class industries based on world-class technology and systems. 

Effective collaboration across prime Australian industrial sectors will amplify growth through the creation of a sovereign technology industry which can serve global supply chains, attracting global investment and creating new jobs.

By framing business requirements as generic needs across multiple sectors and modularising customised features for specific applications, markets are expanded for companies that specialise in remote operations solutions and allows scale.

There are five major benefits of an alliance with the space sector:

1.      Scale of the commercial opportunity: In 2016, the global space sector was estimated to be worth AUD $512 billion and is predicted to grow up to AUD $4 trillion by 2040, with multiple countries and international businesses intensifying efforts to grow their share.

2.      Strategic Investment: The Australian government is investing hundreds of millions in developing Australia’s sovereign capability so that Australian companies can successfully secure a piece of the space market pie. Industry can leverage these investments and apply the capabilities in existing domains to drive productivity.

3.      Inspiration and

4.      Leadership… As the Australian Space Agency recently commented, nothing inspires quite like space. The aspect of exploration and discovery has captivated humans since the beginning of time. The game we are in is building a resilient, innovative business ecosystem to create value for all involved. And that is fuelled by talent. The success of these investments hinges on teams of people with the skills, knowledge, time and most importantly the motivation to turn concepts into practical and commercial realities.

5.      Partnerships. The ASA is leading the way in terms of forging partnerships to accelerate Australia’s capability growth. These are essential to be able to build the quality and the critical mass of skills needed in a short time frame.

Hosted at PwC in Perth, the panel session was led by Lauren Stafford, Woodside Energy Open Innovation Manager, and included leading industry experts;

• Miranda Taylor. CEO, NERA (National Energy Resources Australia)
• Mike Lomman. Remote Operations Centre and Integrated Operating Mode, Roy Hill
• Samual Forbes. GM Remote Systems Technology, Fugro
• Prof. Phil Bland. Director, Curtin University Space Science & Technology Centre

“These leadership events have ignited potential relationships between organisations that know of each other but had not yet collaborated. Thanks to the Australian Space Agency and complementary initiatives like QuantumTX and AROSE (the Australian Remote Operations for Space and Earth), companies are sharing site visits and comparing innovation roadmaps. Bringing together different types of organisations from different sectors in a facilitated manner.” Lauren Stafford, Woodside Energy Open Innovation Manager.

Successful cross sector collaboration requires vision, leadership and skin in the game. Our industries have been evolving to adopt digital technologies to drive performance. The growing space market provides a catalyst for the evolution to happen faster and for greater, broader benefits. It’s exciting to think of ways to scale the immense know how of our people in the field and very importantly, to ensure the benefits are distributed to provide value for all involved.

“It is incumbent on all of us to focus on collaboration that lead to scale and diversified urban and regional economies, creating jobs for generations to come. Opening pathways that bridge multiple industries, large and small businesses, entrepreneurs and world-class researchers.  That is why we created Quantum Technology Exchange. And the vision that is shared by the QuantumTX program partners NERA, Fugro, Roy Hill, Curtin Space Science & Technology Center, Gravity Discovery Center, Atomic Sky, Power Ledger, AgriStart, Studio StartUp and the State Government of Western Australia.” Peter Rossdeutscher, QuantumTX

www.QuantumTX.com.au