Southern Space - 9 June

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

Industry News

Gilmour Space Technologies MMI Grant Confirmed: SIAA Member Gilmour Space Technologies has confirmed the successful execution of a $52 million federal government Modern Manufacturing Initiative (MMI) grant. The grant funding will support the $156 million Australian Space Manufacturing Network (ASMN) project, which will establish three new space facilities in Queensland—a common testing facility, an advanced manufacturing facility and an orbital spaceport. The project constitutes the largest collaboration for Australian space in the MMI, bringing together more than 30 space companies, universities and supply chain partners. Gilmour is currently seeking a location for the ASMN hub in the Gold Coast and aiming to commence operations in 2024. ?

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Hypersonix Composite Scramjet Manufacturing Pilot Complete: SIAA Member Hypersonix has announced a European aerospace manufacturer will deliver a technology demonstrator version of the company’s hydrogen-powered scramjet. The high-temperature composite scramjet was manufactured in High-Temperature Ceramic Matrix Composites (HTCMCs), which are capable of withstanding cycles of extreme heating and cooling, and are ideal for Hypersonix’s planned reusable vehicles. The technology demonstrator project has also enhanced the design of Hypersonix’s SPARTAN scramjet engine, allowing for a version of the engine that can operate at speeds of up to Mach 12.?

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Neumann Space Signs Contract with Space Inventor: This week, SIAA member Neumann Space announced the company has signed a contract with Space Inventor, a European manufacturer of microsatellites. The agreement will allow Neumann Space to integrate the Neumann Drive as an in-orbit demonstration (IOD) payload aboard a 6U Edison Satellite slated to launch in late 2024. The EDISON mission is a European Space Agency programme designed to support new satcom technologies and services. Neumann Space currently has several in-orbit demonstrations planned in the year ahead, with its first flight scheduled this month. ?

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LeoLabs New Radar Commissioning in Europe: This week, SIAA Member LeoLabs announced the commissioning of the LeoLabs Azores Space Radar.?The phased array radar is located on Santa Maria Island in the Azores, Portugal, and expands LeoLabs’s coverage in Europe. The site will also heighten the company’s ability to track objects in LEO, with its strategic location closing a gap in coverage between Europe and Africa across the Atlantic. ?

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Spiral Blue AI Breakthrough: This week Spiral Blue released proprietary data from the company’s successful processing of proprietary AI algorithms in outer space. The development constitutes a breakthrough in Earth Observation capabilities, facilitating the use of AI-powered advancements?in earth monitoring services. In April, Spiral Blue became?the first Australian company to successfully operate a Space Edge Computer, with present developments enabling the use of AI algorithms on the device. ?

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China: Following a six-month mission at the Tiangong Space Station, the crew of China’s Shenzhou 15 have returned safely back to Earth this week. The Shenzhou 15 spacecraft launched from Jiuquan, Northern China in November of last year with its crew facilitating the first handover of astronauts on the space station, welcoming the Shenzhou 16 crew on May 29 before their return to Earth.?

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Space X CRS-28 Launch: This week, SpaceX launched its CRS-28 cargo spacecraft from Launch Complex 39A in Florida. The uncrewed spacecraft reached the International Space Station on June 6 with approximately 3000kg of supplies, research and scientific experiments aboard. It will remain docked at the station for three weeks. There are additionally six CubeSats launching on CRS-28 as part of the Nanoracks-26 mission, including the Moonlighter CubeSat. Moonlighter will be released on-orbit as a cybersecurity testing target, with industry professionals challenged to hack the satellite as a test of current cybersecurity systems. ?

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United Launch Alliance Successful Flight Readiness Test: This week, United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan Centaur rocket successfully completed its?flight readiness firing (FRF) test on the launch pad at Cape Canaveral, Florida. The rocket successfully fired up its two first-stage engines, with the entire FRF lasting six seconds. An update from the company suggests ULA is “more than 98% complete with the Vulcan qualification program”. ?

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UNSW Aussienauts Secure Second Place at International Space Competition: An Australian team from the University of New South Wales, the UNSW Aussienauts, have won second place in the ‘Over the Dusty Moon Challenge’, in Colorado, USA.?

Job Opportunities

View new job postings on?SIAA’s Southern Space Jobs Board?to see what job opportunities are available in the space industry.?See new jobs from SIAA Foundation Member Optus. ?

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

Australian Space Industry Capability Database To Launch Mid-July?

The Space Industry Association of Australia (SIAA) is pleased to announce that the Australian Space Industry Capability Database will launch to all users from mid-July 2023.???

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This database has been developed by SIAA and supported by?the Australian Trade and Investment Commission (Austrade), the Australian Space Agency, the Office of Defence Industry Support and SmartSat CRC.???

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The database will provide interactive data visualisations that demonstrate the scale and capability of the Australian space sector, including capability data, workforce data?and detailed company profiles. Companies operating in the Australian space sector will be able to upload data on their organisation’s space capability from mid-July directly to the platform to be validated by SIAA before this information is available on the database.??

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The database will be publicly accessible to users via an online portal and website platform.??

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Please contact?[email protected]?to be notified of the Australian Space Industry Capability Database launch directly.???

SIAA Member Profile: Accenture

Accenture is a leading global professional services company that helps the world’s leading businesses, governments and other organisations build their digital core, optimise their operations, accelerate revenue growth and enhance citizen services—creating tangible value at speed and scale. We are a talent and innovation-led company with 738,000 people serving clients in more than 120 countries. Technology is at the core of change today, and we are one of the world’s leaders in helping drive that change, with strong ecosystem relationships. We combine our strength in technology with unmatched industry experience, functional expertise and global delivery capability. We are uniquely able to deliver tangible outcomes because of our broad range of services, solutions and assets across Strategy & Consulting, Technology, Operations, Industry X and Accenture Song. These capabilities, together with our culture of shared success and commitment to creating 360° value, enable us to help our clients succeed and build trusted, lasting relationships. We measure our success by the 360° value we create for our clients, each other, our shareholders, partners and communities.

Header Image Credit:?Pre-Winter Storm, Southwestern Australia (NASA.GOV, ISS, 03-29-14)

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