Learn, build, reiterate. That was the mantra Raj Gautam, founder and chief executive of startup QL Space, learned when he took part in the Venture Catalyst Space program. Gautam launched his start-up less than a year ago and is developing a multi-sensor remote sensing satellite for the space industry and mining sectors. Once developed, high-tech tool… Read more »
Over the next month, NASA will launch three rockets from the Arnhem Space Centre in the Northern Territory on the Dhupuma Plateau, near Nhulunbuy. The rockets are 13 metre “sounding” rockets that will not reach orbit but will take scientific observations. The launches represent a number of firsts for the Australian space industry. They also… Read more »
In the past few years, Australia has formed its own space agency and launched a defence “space command”. Billions of dollars for defence, and hundreds of millions for civilian space, have been allocated from the public purse to develop capability in this growing sector. This funding covers the Moon-to-Mars Program, the SmartSat Cooperative Research Centre,… Read more »
It’s probably no surprise that keeping healthy in space is incredibly important. And without the typical resources found on Earth, creative solutions have to be explored. Right now, some excited Year 10 and 11 students from around Victoria are waiting with anticipation as their space-made yoghurt – fresh off the International Space Station (ISS) –… Read more »
Australian satellite propulsion startup Valiant Space will launch a payload onboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 mission in June this year as it looks “green” the space sector. Valiant has partnered with local space services venture Skykraft, using its Skyride rideshare service. The primary focus of the mission is to test a new propellant valve developed… Read more »
In a few weeks’ time, a rocket launched in 2015 is expected to crash into the Moon. The fast-moving piece of space junk is the upper stage of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket which hoisted the Deep Space Climate Observatory satellite off our planet. It has been chaotically looping around Earth and the Moon ever… Read more »
A new manufacturing hub for space technology companies is being established in Adelaide. The South Australian government is partnering with four local startups, on the purpose-built facility, the Australian Space Park, to develop the project with a focus on collaboration and production of small satellites and their payloads, rockets, electric vertical take-off and landing vehicles… Read more »
Skykraft, a Canberra space startup, has raised $3.5 million for its plan to build a satellite constellation for space-based air traffic management services. Former CEO of Macquarie Group Allan Moss, Lennoxgrove Capital and Adcock Private Equity are among the investors. The ACT-based space services company specialises in the design, manufacture and operation of SmallSat constellations… Read more »
A new era of space stations is about to kick off. NASA has announced three commercial space station proposals for development, joining an earlier proposal by Axiom Space. These proposals are the first attempts to create places for humans to live and work in space outside the framework of government space agencies. They’re part of… Read more »
Earlier this week, the International Space Station (ISS) was forced to maneouvre out of the way of a potential collision with space junk. With a crew of astronauts and cosmonauts on board, this required an urgent change of orbit on November 11. Over the station’s 23-year orbital lifetime, there have been about 30 close encounters… Read more »
A satellite designed and built by staff and students from Curtin University’s Space Science and Technology Centre (SSTC) is set to head to space this week aboard the SpaceX mission to the International Space Station (ISS). The Binar-1 CubeSat is Western Australia’s first home-grown satellite and will be part of the cargo aboard the SpaceX… Read more »
It’s been a momentous month for space-faring billionaires. On July 11, British entrepreneur Sir Richard Branson’s Unity “rocket-plane” flew him and five fellow passengers about 85 kilometres above Earth. And this week, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos’ New Shepard capsule reached an altitude of 106km, carrying Bezos, his brother, and the oldest and youngest people ever… Read more »
Space-focused tech incubator Moonshot has been awarded a $250,000 grant from the federal government’s Incubator Support Scheme to help develop space technology businesses. The grant delivers Moonshot a $500,000 boost thanks to matched backing from private investors. The funds will go towards expanding operations, launching new accelerator programs and amplifying support for local space startups.… Read more »
Over the next fortnight, Blue Origin founder Jeff Bezos and Virgin Galactic founder Richard Branson will take off into space, because they can, on spaceships designed by their respective companies. It’s a big moment for the private space industry. But the question comes to mind: who has the smarter plan? A billionaire’s space race On… Read more »
Three South Australian startups have furthered their plans to support the international space industry. All based in Adelaide, the companies include Fleet Space Technologies, Inovor Technologies and Southern Launch. Southern Launch has been approved to conduct three rocket test launches from its site at Whalers Way reserve on the southern tip of the Eyre Peninsula… Read more »
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