Space and cross-sector technology exchange with mining, oil&gas and defence

The future of Western Australia’s cross-sector technology exchange capabilities has taken a major leap forward with the announcement of the first cohort of small & medium sized business innovators to take part in the Quantum Technology Exchange initiative.

QuantumTX was created to strengthen capability and collaboration across Australia’s leading industries in technologies that bridge the mining, energy, agricultural and defence sectors and leverage industry advantages into the $314 billion global space sector.

The SMEs will visit facilities such as the European Space Agency deep space tracking station in New Norcia, Roy Hill mining remote systems automation centre, Fugro NeXt automation command & control, Woodside Energy robotics labs and Muresk Institute’s Smart Farm. They will also engage with a range of expert speakers from leading organisations; including The European Space Agency, NOVA Systems, ICRAR, CISCO, Fleet Space Technologies, METS Ignited, NERA (National Energy Resources Australia). 

In particular Australia’s world-leading capabilities in operational technologies present a huge opportunity to expand, create new markets and build scale, particularly between our resources sectors, defence and the emerging global space industry.

NERA CEO Miranda Taylor said, “Australia’s ambitions to lead the next decade and beyond of technology innovation to support the global space industry should be limitless. Our journey towards this future starts by leveraging our world-leader capabilities in remote operations, robotics, automation and artificial intelligence – all of which have been developed through our energy resources sector. By supporting programs like QuantumTX, we can position Australia as a future hub and exporter of the world-leading technology solutions for space, while reinvesting the cross-sector exchange of ideas and innovative into future prosperity for our industries here at home.”

10 Program Participants were selected via a competitive process by industry experts. Each has potential global competitive advantage with existing innovative products that can solve common supply chain challenges across multiple industries including the international space sector. They are;

Binar Small Satellite (Curtin University Space Science & Technology Center): Cube satellite communications solutions in partnership with the European Space Agency

Chironix : Robotic autonomy and artificial intelligence systems integrating human-centred robotics, wearable technology and machine learning 

Sapien Cyber : Leading cyber security platform security challenges in operational environments across multiple industrial sectors

Exodus Space Systems : Kinetic solutions for tackling the challenge of reducing space debris through innovation and collaboration

Nexxis Technologies : Advanced multi-limb robotic crawler and systems solving for any remote inspection and monitoring environment

Space Industries : Automation & Lunar Resource Extraction Vehicle (LREV) for extracting water on the Moon. W.A. space & technology museum

Sentient Computing : Immersive 3D visualisation and digital twin solutions for automation and remote operations facilities in all industries

Curtin University Space Science & Technology Center : Applying advance machine learning to solve complex challenges with space applications

Subsea Engineering Associates : Intelligent data & computation platform for distributed computing, machine learning & non-linear optimisation

Terra15 Technologies : Real-time fibre optic vibration, seismic and acoustic sensing and monitoring for large scale industrial IoT and data acquisition

Filling new jobs created in these diversified areas will require additional workforce skills so Atomic Sky also included South Metro TAFE and Offshore Simulation in the program as Affiliate Participants. 

Western Australian Innovation and ICT; Science Minister Dave Kelly stated, “Western Australia is home to world-leading technologies and innovators in remote operations, robotics and artificial intelligence. The technology that is already utilised in Western Australia in mining, the offshore oil and gas industry, agriculture, environment and medicine now also has the potential to be utilised for remote mining operations on the moon. With support provided by the McGowan Government through the $16.7 million New Industries Fund’s X-TEND WA program, I’m excited to see Quantum Technology Exchange work with small-medium businesses to enhance opportunities in this area to create jobs and diversify the State’s economy.

Quantum Technology Exchange Founder, Peter Rossdeutscher; "We created QuantumTX to stimulate collaboration between sectors, which both opens opportunities for high growth Australian technology companies and creates new jobs as they scale internationally. It is fantastic that so many exceptional organisations and industry champions share the same vision."

QuantumTX was founded by Atomic Sky and operates a collaborative model. Curtin University Space Science & Technology Center, Triangle Equity Partners, Fugro Remote Systems Technology and AgriStart provided industry funding. The initiative also received grant funding from the Western Australian Government and the Australian Government, including Australia’s Industry Growth Centres for energy resources and for mining equipment, technology and services; NERA (National Energy Resources Australia) and METS Ignited. 

For more information on Quantum Technology Exchange see www.QuantumTX.com.au