Southern Space - 9 September

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

Industry News?

?7th Bengaluru Space Expo: This week representatives from the Australian Space Agency and a delegation of Australian space companies attended the 7th Bengaluru Space Expo in India and participated in an Australia-India space industry roundtable. Head of the Australian Space Agency Enrico Palermo announced the signing of several MoUs between Australia and India to increase collaboration in space. ?

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Australian-Indian Space Cooperation: SIAA Member Space Machines Company has announced a Memorandum of Understanding with Ananth Technologies Pty Ltd to establish collaboration across missions, integration and test, technology development and supply chain. Earlier this week,?the company’s India office in Bangalore was inaugurated by the Head of the Australian Space Agency Enrico Palermo, alongside Mr Vish Padmanabhan, Senior Trade & Investment Commissioner, India & Middle East Investment NSW and Mr Michael Costa, Deputy Consul General, Australian Consulate General, Chennai. Space Machines Company’s India office has been instrumental in the development of Space Machines’ first mission and will be key for further collaboration between Australia and India. During the ceremony, Mr. Palermo also released the mission patch for SMC’s first technical demonstrator mission. SMC’s Optimus Orbital Transfer Vehicle is due to fly on a SpaceX rideshare mission in Q2 2023.?

Australian 2023 Rocket Launch: SIAA member Gilmour Space Technologies has signed a deal with SIAA member Inmarsat to use the company’s space-based telemetry service instead of relying on terrestrial infrastructure. The company plans to launch its Eris orbital rocket in early 2023, which will be Australia’s first orbital launch attempt from a commercial site.?

LEO Satellite Cluster for Space Surveillance: SIAA member BAE Systems is set to launch 4?multi-sensor satellites into LEO to deliver real time information and intelligence to military customers from space. The satellites will gather and communicate synthetic aperture radar, optical and RF data, with the satellites able to be reconfigured while in orbit to deliver a range of different functions for military customers. The satellites?will be operational by 2024. ?

Space Cargo Transportation: SIAA Member Rocket Lab has signed a cooperative research and development agreement with the United States Transport Command to explore how the company could use its launch vehicles to transport cargo around the world. Rocket Lab will also explore how to establish on-orbit cargo deposits as part of the US Air Force’s point-to-point space transportation experimentation. This announcement follows Rocket Lab’s successful reuse of the Rutherford first stage engine, making the company’s Electron launch vehicle the first reusable orbital small rocket. ?

French-Australian Bilateral Cooperation in Space: Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence the Hon Richard Marles MP met with Sébastien Lecornu, French Minister for Armed Forces. A statement from Marles noted that “both countries will also explore avenues for bilateral cooperation in the development of space defence capabilities, such as Earth observation satellites, satellite communication or space domain awareness.”??

India: The Indian Space Research Organisation has successfully tested an inflatable aerodynamic decelerator (IAD) on a Rohini sounding rocket launched earlier this week. The IAD was initially stored inside the rocket’s payload bay before being inflated at 84km altitude, allowing the payload part of the sounding rocket to descend through the atmosphere. Rohini sounding rockets are used by ISRO to demonstrate new capability developed by ISRO, Indian researchers and international scientists. ?

China: The Long March-5B rocket that will send the second lab module of China’s space station into orbit has been transported to the planned launch site in preparation for the module’s October launch. This follows news last week that astronauts aboard China’s Tiangong space station completed a 6-hour spacewalk, with the China Manned Space Agency declaring the first spacewalk of the mission a success. ?

Suborbital Unarmed ICBM Test: This week the US Air Force conducted a suborbital test of an unarmed inter-continental ballistic mission from the Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. The purpose of the test was the confirm the weapon system’s safety and security. The ICBM carried three undisclosed re-entry vehicles (payloads the re-enter the Earth’s atmosphere after launch). ?

Artemis 1 Mission Delayed: NASA’s Artemis 1 mission has been delayed again, after a hydrogen leak between the fuel line and Space Launch System rocket, with NASA deciding to not undertake any further launch attempts in early September. The new launch date of 23rd September has been announced by NASA, but this date is contingent on NASA fixing the hydrogen leak and receiving a waiver from US Space Force, who oversee the range used for Florida launches, to extend the time available to check batteries in the rocket’s flight termination system. ?

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Industry Opportunities?

Robotics, Automation & Remote Asset Control for Space and Earth Program?

This program is aimed at Australian SMEs and start-ups looking to solve international space industry challenges while growing the Australian space workforce through developing solutions that have applications across a range of sectors. Participants will access?introductions to customers, mentoring opportunities, market engagement, profile raising, staff development and export readiness.?

Applications close 16th September. Access the program application form here. ?

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Innovate to Grow: Defence Victoria Applications Open Now ?

This 10-week virtual, self-paced program is open to Victorian SMEs currently working in the Defence industry that are seeking to investigate new R&D opportunities related to defence solutions. The program offers an opportunity to refine your idea into a research and development opportunity. Participants are exposed to industry knowledge, can access networking opportunities and hear from innovation and industry experts. ?

Applications close 17th October. Apply here. ?

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Upcoming Events

?Canberra Space Workforce Industry Drinks????

When: Wednesday 28 September from 5:30pm??

Where: Capital Brewing, Fyshwick??

The next Canberra Space Workforce and Industry Drinks are confirmed for Wednesday 28th September at Capital Brewing. The casual industry drinks are open to all space industry professionals and will give attendees a chance to hear and share experiences from the International Astronautical Congress in Paris. Register your?attendance here.???

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Southern Space??

When: 22 November - 23 November???

Where: Hotel Realm, Canberra??

SIAA’s two-day conference, Southern Space brings together space industry experts and decision-makers from across Australia. This year’s conference will connect the space industry together with government and parliament for two days to help shape the future agenda of Australian space’s aspirations.??

Participants will include federal government departments and agencies, international agencies and missions, defence and space prime contractors, listed space companies, academic and research organisations, small and medium enterprises, space start-ups, and individual space professionals.??

Registrations are available to both members and non-members of SIAA, with fees applicable to non-members.??

Registrations are open – Register Here.??

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14th Australian Space Forum – The Andy Thomas Space Foundation???

When: Tuesday 25 October??

Where: Adelaide Convention Centre

The Andy Thomas Space Foundation is hosting its 14th Australian Space Forum in South Australia. Supported by the Australian Space Agency, the South Australian Space Industry Centre and SmartSat CRC, the Forum offers an opportunity to learn about emerging ideas and network with individuals in the space sector. Session topics include Earth Observation, optical communications and foundation services rover. Register for the?Space Forum here.?

SIAA Member Profile: Rocket Lab ?

Founded in 2006,?Rocket Lab?is an end-to-end space company?that offers customers reliable launch services, spacecraft, satellite components and on-orbit management.?The company has successfully completed?29?launches, deployed?149?satellites, and?has?developed three?launch pads.?In 2009, Rocket Lab became the first private company in the Southern Hemisphere to reach space, with the launch of their ātea-1 sounding rocket.?With a wide variety of government, private?sector, and academic stakeholders,?Rocket Lab is opening up access to space to enable satellites that provide us?insights on resource management, weather patterns, borders, and key?infrastructure?monitoring. Rocket Lab is currently developing an 8-tonne?class reusable launch vehicle called Neutron?and has successfully tested technology to catch its Electron rocket booster with a helicopter.???

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Last month Rocket Lab launched two?national security missions?developed in a partnership between the US National Reconnaissance?Office and the Australian Department of Defence. Rocket Lab also launched NASA’s?CAPSTONE?mission earlier this year, with the lunar cubesat?charting?the orbit of NASA’s future Gateway space station.?

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Header Image Credit: NASA