Southern Space - 19 February

Southern Space is a weekly newsletter produced by SIAA to inform the Australian space industry

Industry News

ELA Signs MoU with Singaporean ESS: SIAA Foundation Member Equatorial Launch Australia (ELA) has announced the signing of an MoU with Singaporean rocket company Equatorial Space Systems (ESS). The agreement was signed for a series of launches of the Dorado family of suborbital rockets at the Arnhem Space Centre, slated for late 2024. The Dorado launches will carry science experiments and technology demonstrator payloads.?

LeoLabs Secures Additional Funding: SIAA Member LeoLabs has raised an additional US$29 million in financing. The company will utilise the funds to invest in “advanced end-user applications and partner integrations”, as well as scaling up LeoLabs’ global operations and safety capabilities.??

BAE Systems Acquisition Approval: SIAA Member BAE Systems has secured regulatory approval for the company’s US$5.5 billion acquisition of Ball Aerospace. Upon finalising the arrangement, Ball Aerospace will function as a fourth operating sector of BAE Systems, termed the Space & Mission Systems sector.??

?

Spire Partners with Signal Ocean: SIAA Member Spire Global has announced a strategic partnership with shipping technology company, Signal Ocean, to drive the digitization of the maritime economy. As part of the partnernship, Signal Ocean will also be making a US$10 million strategic investment in Spire Global.?

?

Space Debris Conference: SIAA Members NorthStar Earth & Space and LeoLabs have each signed MoUs with the Saudi Space Agency at the recent Space Debris Conference in Riyadh. The agreements with both companies aim to exchange expertise related to space situational awareness (SSA) and explore future collaboration opportunities between the companies and the Saudi Space Agency.?

?

Odysseus Launch: SpaceX successfully launched the ‘Odysseus’ Nova-C lander, a robotic lunar lander built by private Houston-based company Intuitive Machines. The launch took place aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Kennedy Space Center. The lander, carrying several NASA payloads, will attempt to make a lunar landing on the moon’s south pole on February 22. The IM-1 mission aims for Odysseus to become the first private spacecraft to successfully execute a lunar landing.??

?

L3Harris Successful Demonstration:?L3Harris recently announced the completion of the company’s demonstration of a compact Digital Beamforming Phased Array Antenna System (DPAAS). The company conducted the demonstration under a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement with the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).??

?

Russia: This past week, Russia launched a supply rocket to the International Space Station (ISS), carrying fuel, food and scientific equipment for several astronauts and specialists. The Progress MS-26 cargo ship launched aboard a Soyuz-2 rocket from Baikonur Space Centre, Kazakhstan.??

Artemis Accords: Uruguay recently signed NASA’s Artemis Accords, becoming the 36th official signatory. Last year, the country also announced its intentions to establish a national space agency.?

Industry Opportunities

Submissions Open for Inquiry into Sovereign Capability in the Australian Tech Sector?

In December 2023, the Australian Senate referred an inquiry into supporting the development of sovereign capability in the Australian tech sector to the Senate Finance and Public Administration Reference Committee for inquiry and report by 30 June 2024. Submissions are currently open for Australian tech companies to provide their input on government procurement policy and sovereign capability.??

Submissions close 23 February. See here for more information. ?

SIAA Members 2024 US Industry Study Tour – Programme Outline Released

In support of the Australian space industry's engagement with the US space sector, SIAA will be hosting its second 2024 US Industry Study Tour in April. The Industry Study Tour will be held at the beginning of April, the week before the 39th Space Symposium in Colorado Springs.

During the Industry Study Tour participants will travel to Washington DC and Houston for a programme of space company tours, meetings with representatives from the US space industry and government, and networking events with US space industry.??

To receive a copy of the Tour Outline or register to participate in the SIAA US Industry Study Tour please email. [email protected] ?

Upcoming Events

IAC2025 Space Sector Workshop Adelaide

Where: Adelaide CBD

When: 27 February 2024, 2pm-4pm ACDT

SIAA invites the Adelaide space community to join us for an industry workshop to assist SIAA in shaping IAC2025 in Sydney. We look forward to announcing similar workshops across Australia in the coming weeks.

Please email [email protected] to register.

IAC2025 Space Sector Workshop Perth

Where: Curtin University, Perth CBD

When: 29 February 2024, 2pm-4pm AWST

SIAA invites the WA space community to join us for an industry workshop to assist SIAA in shaping IAC2025 in Sydney. We look forward to announcing similar workshops across Australia in the coming weeks.

Please email [email protected] to register.

Space Industry Networking Drinks - Adelaide

Register to attend the Adelaide Space Industry Networking Drinks ?

Space Industry Networking Drinks - Perth

Register to attend the Perth Space Industry Networking Drinks?

Job Opportunities

View new job postings on SIAA’s Southern Space Jobs Board to see what job opportunities are available in the space industry.

SIAA members can advertise job positions for free on the Southern Space Jobs board. For more information, please email [email protected]

SIAA Member Profile: Scyne Advisory

Scyne Advisory exists to support Australia's public service to create a stronger Australia. The company is an independent, contemporary, national business with the scale and capabilities to support public purpose projects and governments at all levels right across Australia. Setting a new standard for public sector advisory services in Australia, Scyne Advisory is conflict free from the private sector, with rigorous governance and accountability frameworks and standards. Scyne Advisory is an Australian company, with an independent Chair and a Board, with two other non-executive directors, regulated by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC). The company’s vision is to be the public sector specialists, focused on helping governments and their agencies build more resilient, secure, equitable and prosperous communities.?

Want to feature your industry update in the Southern Space Newsletter? Email [email protected]

Join the Southern Space mailing list by emailing [email protected]

Header Image Credit:?Golden Gate Bridge from above (NASA, 05-01-15)