Southern Space - 22 September

Industry News

ELA Appointments: SIAA Foundation Member Equatorial Launch Australia (ELA) recently announced the appointment of Brian Duane as the new General Manager of the Arnhem Space Centre (ASC). As General Manager, he will lead the team on the ground and work closely with the Launch Operations team to optimise mission success for upcoming residencies in 2025. ELA also announced Francois Lambert as the company’s new General Manager, Regulatory & Corporate Affairs. The role will align legal and regulatory strategies and have oversight of ELA's overall compliance of operations at the Arnhem Space Centre.??

Southern Launch and Varda Granted Approval: SIAA Members Southern Launch and Varda Space Industries have received authorisation from the Australian Government for a series of returns at the Koonibba Test Range. The approval will see three Varda pharmaceutical manufacturing capsules re-enter the Earth’s atmosphere and land in the Koonibba Test Range. The first of the W-Series re-entry missions, W-2, is scheduled for early 2025.?

Southern Launch also recently announced the signing of a contract with Canadian rocket manufacturer Reaction Dynamics. Under the contract, Reaction Dynamics will conduct the inaugural launch and flight of the company’s RE-102 hybrid rocket engine and Aurora vehicle from the Koonibba Test Range in 2025.?

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BlackSky HEO Contract: SIAA Member BlackSky has been awarded a contract by SIAA Member HEO to provide imagery of space objects for defense, intelligence and commercial use. Under the agreement, BlackSky will join HEO’s non-Earth imaging sensor network and share high-resolution imagery of mid-inclination orbit with HEO.??

BlackSky was also selected as a vendor by the U.S. National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency under the USD$290 million Luno A commercial data contract. The five-year agreement focuses on monitoring global economic and environmental activity and military capabilities using commercial GEOINT AI and analytics services.?

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Neumann Space and Inovor Technologies Sign MoU: SIAA Members Neumann Space and Inovor Technologies have signed an MoU to work collaboratively on developing and integrating Neumann’s innovative electric propulsion system – the Neumann Drive – into Inovor’s larger satellite bus platforms. Neumann Space is slated to become a key supplier for Inovor Technologies and help develop propulsion capabilities on mobile platforms, such as the Apogee and Australis bus.?

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iLAuNCH Latest Project: SIAA Member iLAuNCH Trailblazer has announced a project in which iLAuNCH’s partner universities will work with Adelaide-based green innovation company Change Climate to explore the suitability of a bio-epoxy resin for the manufacture of sustainable and durable composites with aerospace applications.?

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Spire and Mission Control Persistence Mission: SIAA Member Spire Global and Canada-based startup Mission Control announced a partnership for Persistence—a technology demonstration mission focused on space-based artificial intelligence. Spire will design, build, launch and operate the Persistence mission’s Lemur satellite, while Mission Control intends to demonstrate the company’s SpacefarerAI platform.?

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Rocket Lab NASA Contract: SIAA Member Rocket Lab has secured a contract from NASA to study alternative concepts for Mars Sample Return (MSR). Rocket Lab will investigate ‘a simplified, end-to-end mission concept’ for MSR that would deliver samples collected by the Perseverance rover to Earth in a condensed timeframe and for a ‘fraction’ of projected costs.?

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Fleet Space and Tahreez Sign MoU: SIAA Member Fleet Space Technologies has signed an MoU with Tahreez, a smart solutions provider and subsidiary of Alturki Holding based in Saudi Arabia. The partnership will combine Tahreez’s smart solutions expertise with Fleet Space’s vertically integrated technology stack to support the advancement of KSA’s mining sector.??

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SmartSat and Hellenic Space Centre Sign MoU: SmartSat CRC has signed an MoU with the Hellenic Space Centre (HSC) at IAC Milan 2024; seeking to further international cooperation in space science, technology, and innovation between Australia and Greece. The collaboration will focus on the key areas of earth observation, microsatellites, space science & academic collaborations and commercial networking.?

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ESA NNO-3 Australia: Last month, the European Space Agency (ESA ) celebrated a milestone with the lift of the New Norcia 3 (NNO-3) deep-space antenna’s 122-tonne satellite dish. The New Norcia ground station is based in Western Australia, with ESA scheduled to inaugurate the deep-space station by the end of 2025 with NNO-3. The NNO-3 antenna will allow space-faring missions to send and receive a greater volume of data from the ground.?

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NASA Europa Mission: On October 14, NASA successfully launched the Europa Clipper spacecraft aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket. The spacecraft is part of a habitability mission by NASA to investigate if Europa, one of Jupiter’s moons, is capable of sustaining life. Canberra’s Deep Space Communication Complex played a role in the mission by establishing two-way contact with the Europa Clipper shortly after it took off from Kennedy Space Center.?

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SpaceX Starship Milestone: SpaceX recently conducted the fifth test flight of Starship, achieving a milestone ‘catch’ of the rocket’s Super Heavy booster at the launch pad. The Starship spacecraft took off early on October 13 from Boca Chica, Texas. As planned, approximately seven minutes after launch, the Super Heavy booster descended over the pad and the two arms closed around the top of the booster, achieving the intended catch in a ‘chopstick maneuver’.?

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Artemis Accords: Estonia is the latest country to sign onto NASA’s Artemis Accords—bringing the total number of signatories to 45. Earlier this month the Dominican Republic became the 44th signatory to the Accords.?

Industry Opportunities

NSW Government ‘Space to United States of America’ Initiative?

SIAA Foundation Member NSW Government’s Going Global Export Program provides export support for NSW early-stage exporters or new to-market exporters. Eligible businesses can apply for free support to expand space technologies and services to the US, and to explore US Department of Defence procurement and commercial opportunities.???

Program dates range from December 2024 to April 2025, with a key event focus on the 40th Space Symposium [7-10 April 2025] in Colorado Springs, USA.??

The initiative is a US-focused space export program to help NSW businesses explore opportunities in the US market. It will provide insights into the US market landscape, assist with crafting compelling proposition statements, address compliance requirements, and facilitate key industry connections. The program will include a virtual series of workshops, pitch coaching, organised meetings with relevant US contacts, and on-the-ground support during the symposium.?

Applications close Sunday 3 November 2024. See here to apply and for further details.??

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SA Space Collaboration and Innovation Fund Round Two?

SIAA Member SASIC and the SA Government have announced that Round 2 of the SA Space Collaboration and Innovation Fund will open on 30 October 2024—with more funds available to get South Australian space technology on the market. In Round 2, one project will receive $320,000.?

The South Australian Space Collaboration and Innovation Fund is open to South Australian-based start-ups and small businesses in collaboration with at least one international partner organisation. The fund supports projects that are focussed on proof-of-concept or delivery of space capability and have a clear commercial pathway.?

An information session will be held on Wednesday 30 October for interested parties to learn more about the process.??

Applications open on Wednesday 30 October 2024 and close on Sunday 2 February 2025. For more information or to register for the info session visit: sasic.sa.gov.au/spacefund/ ?

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Southern Hemisphere Space Studies Program Scholarships?

SIAA Member SASIC have also recently announced a new opportunity for South Australian residents to receive a half scholarship to participate in the Southern Hemisphere Space Studies Program in 2025.?

Delivered in partnership by the University of South Australia and International Space University, the intensive, four-week program is designed to upskill and reskill the future space workforce, providing a comprehensive, multidisciplinary understanding of the knowledge needed by today’s space professionals.?

Up to eight half scholarships are being offered by SASIC, to support South Australian residents with an interest in pursuing a career in the space sector, to attend the program being held in Adelaide from 13 January to 7 February 2025.? ? To be eligible, applicants must be South Australian residents and available to attend the program in person.?

Applications close 31 October 2024. See here to apply.?

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Call for Abstracts of the Global Space Exploration Conference (GLEX 2025) Open??

The International Astronautical Federation (IAF), as Organizer, together with its Member the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), as Host, and the Astronautical Society of India, as Co-Host, have announced?a Call for Abstracts of the Global Space Exploration Conference (GLEX 2025) to be held on 7-9 May 2025 in New Delhi, India.??

The GLEX 2025 programme is designed to bring together leaders and decision-makers within the science and human exploration community – astronauts, engineers, scientists, entrepreneurs, educators, agency representatives and policy makers.?

Submissions close 7 November 2024. See?here ?for further details and how to apply.?

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Cost-Effective Talent Attraction and Recruitment Strategies for Australian Space Businesses?

SIAA is partnering with specialist recruitment agency HorizonOne to deliver an exclusive webinar for SMEs in the Australian space sector on Tuesday October 29. Learn cost-effective and impactful strategies for talent attraction and recruitment in the context of the space sector with Mitch Porteous, Business Manager at HorizonOne Recruitment, and National Committee member of the Australian Space Diversity Alliance (ASDA).??

Register here .?

Upcoming Events

Sustainability of Space Activities Public Information Session?

When: Wednesday, October 23. 2PM-3PM AEDT?

Where: Virtual?

The Australian Government led by the Australian Space Agency is developing an Australian sustainability of space activities policy. The policy aims to support the long-term viability of the space sector so Australians can continue to benefit from space services for current and future generations.??

The Australian Space Agency is holding public consultation to inform the development of the policy from 16 October to 8 November. The agency is looking for feedback on the policy vision, themes, the priority of each theme, and the role of the Australian Government and other stakeholders. Responses can be submitted through the?Department of Industry, Science and Resources' Consultation Hub ?and a consultation paper has been published on this platform to inform responses.?

The Agency will host an information session on 23 October?overviewing the Australian sustainability of space activities policy and providing details on how you can have your say. Attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions throughout the session, however it is advised to read the consultation paper before attending.?

See here to register for the webinar. See here to submit feedback. ?

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2024 Australian Space Domain Awareness and Space Traffic Management Conference?

When: 19 – 21 November 2024?

Where: UNSW Canberra @ADFA, Northcott Drive, Campbell, ACT?

The conference will bring together key researchers, users, and decision makers from the Australian space sector and will focus on developing a set of shared priorities and goals among the Australian SDA community to enable Australia to meet the evolving challenge of safely and responsibly operating within the space domain.?

The conference will run over 3 full days, consisting of keynote speakers, technical talks, panel sessions and poster sessions with key focus on:? sensors; analysis and data processing; space catalogue modernisation and STM concepts; satellite protection; regulation/policy/ethics (mitigation guidelines); economics/business models to sustain Australian SDA efforts.?

See here for more details.?

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AROSE Mining & Space Conference @ IMARC?

When: 11:30 - 16:40 AEDT, 30 October 2024?

Where: Room E3.3, Level 3, ICC Sydney?

Curated by SIAA Member AROSE, the conference is co-located with IMARC, Australia’s largest mining event. It is free and is open for all IMARC attendees and AROSE affiliates to register. The conference theme this year is “Where space exploration meets mining innovation”, and will showcase requirements, capabilities, and collaborations between the two industries, including information related to the Australian Space Agency’s Moon to Mars initiative.?

Register here .?

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International Mining and Resources Conference (IMARC)?

When: 29 October - 31 October 2024?

Where: ICC Sydney?

The International Mining and Resources Conference (IMARC) is where influential people in the mining industry come together, delivering ideas, inspiration and serving as a meeting ground for industry leaders.?

The world-class conference program features nine concurrent conferences covering the entire mining value chain with more than 370 technical talks, panel discussions, and strategic keynote presentations taking place throughout the three days. ?

Participants will gain strategic insights from c-suite executives on progressing ESG and environmental resilience, accelerating mining’s energy transition, mine and project development and the digitisation of mines.?

Register here .?

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30th Asia-Pacific Regional Space Agency Forum?

When: 26 November - 29 November 2024?

Where: Crown Perth - Crown Towers Hotel?

In November, the Australian Space Agency and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) will co-host the 30th annual Asia Pacific Regional Space Agency Forum (APRSAF-30). The event will be held in Perth from 26th to the 29th of November this year with special support from the Western Australian Government.?

The theme for APRSAF-30 is “collaborating to build a sustainable and responsible regional space sector”; and this year's APRSAF will include a dedicated all-day space industry workshop.???

Registrations close 18 November 2024, see here .??

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Indo-Pacific Space and Earth Conference (IPSEC)?

When: Tuesday 26 November 2024?

Where: Perth, WA?

IPSEC is aimed at bringing together leading minds, thought leaders and industry experts from around the globe for opportunities in space and cross-sector technologies and innovation.??

Through interactive sessions, workshops and discussions, the conference provides a unique platform for attendees to explore the infinite possibilities of space technologies and their impact on Earth, forging collaborations that will drive innovation in various sectors. Technical tours will take place on Monday 25 November, with the conference on Tuesday 26 November, and a joint exhibition between IPSEC and APRSAF taking place between 26-28 November.?

Register here .?

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: CGI?

Founded in 1976, CGI is an IT and business services consulting services firm operating across government and a range of industries to solve complex IT, systems integration, digital transformation, and cyber security challenges. The company employs over 92,000 professionals across 400 locations worldwide, and domestically has offices in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Hobart, and Adelaide. CGI’s approach is to build lasting, trusted relationships with clients, drawing on a diverse global network to bring the right talent, innovation and scale to every engagement, with deep technology expertise and a wide range of services.?

Within the Space, Defence and Intelligence domain, CGI has worked in partnership with governments and businesses around the globe to deliver secure, mission-critical technology solutions. In Australia, CGI is building upon the company’s heritage to apply solutions from across commercial and government sectors to new ways of advancing defence and space clients’ missions. The company’s work across the defence and civil air, land, sea, space and cyberspace domains is focused on delivering information advantage. CGI’s solutions in the Defence, Space and Intelligence domain include, but are not limited to, secure space systems, space command and control, military space solutions and cyber security.?

In February 2023, CGI was awarded a SmartSat CRC project alongside domain experts from Swinburne University of Technology and RMIT to develop a space domain awareness technology demonstrator. The output of the project will be used to enhance SDA operations in real-time during Sprint Advanced Concept Training (SACT) exercises. This year, CGI has continued to strengthen its commercial collaborations within the Space, Defence, and Intelligence sectors, expanding its presence in Canberra to capitalise on significant government opportunities?

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Header Image Credit:?Mackenzie River in Canada's Northwest Territories (NASA Earth Observatory images by Joshua Stevens, using Landsat data from the U.S. Geological Survey, 21-03-17)