Australian organisations could build and launch a low-earth orbit satellite within two years as part of a $50 million project to boost national aerospace operations.
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See subscription optionsThe Adelaide-built satellite would monitor space traffic, the companies behind it revealed, and deliver satellite communications to Australians in remote areas and defence organisations.
Optus, HEO, Inovor Technologies and two government organisations revealed details of the low-earth orbit satellite on Monday and discussed plans for future space missions.
The $50 million project will be funded under the federal education department's iLAuNCH Trailblazer universities program, and executive director Darin Lovett said it had the potential to demonstrate Australian research practically.
"We're great at producing world-class research. We're not great at commercialising (it)," he said.
"It represents a huge leap forward for the Australian space ecosystem and for what we're trying to achieve."
The satellite will be manufactured in Adelaide by Inovor Technologies and will be operated by Optus from its base in Sydney's northern beaches.
A SpaceX flight will be used launch the low-earth orbit satellite in late 2027 or early 2028 with two payloads on board, including a space telescope created by HEO.
The 20cm Adler Imager telescope will capture images of space objects, HEO senior partnerships manager Joann Yap said, and could be used to track the performance of other satellites or identify potential space traffic problems.
"It's a dedicated eye in orbit taking clear pictures of other satellites, rocket bodies and objects in space," Ms Yap said.
"We believe Australia benefits immensely from having its own independent ability to monitor space for a wide variety of reasons but including for our national security and to support commercial space business."
The telescope could also be used to track stars and planets in the future using research from the University of Southern Queensland.
The satellite's second payload, developed by researchers at the University of South Australia and SmartSat, will use laser light to send and receive communications data to other satellites or earth.
The addition could be used for defence communications or in rural and remote locations, Optus satellite and space systems head Nick Leake said.
Future satellites delivered through the partnership could launch more Australian technology, he said, and discussions about future projects had already begun.
"We're already thinking about two follow-on spacecraft and already in discussion with a number of parties around what types of payloads we could put on those spacecraft," he said.
Australian Associated Press
