Space Archives

Spiral Blue’s ground-breaking image computer for satellites is now in space

Simon Thomsen - July 2, 2021 2 MIN READ

Sydney spacetech startup Spiral Blue has launched its first prototype computers, called Space Edge Zero (SEZ), into orbit aboard Virgin Orbit’s LauncherOne rocket. Spiral Blue’s SEZ computer will introduce in-space processing of satellite images, currently unavailable to Earth observation satellites. Traditionally, Earth observation data is downloaded into a raw format from Earth observation satellites and… Read more »

Space

A GIANT LEAP: Australian rocket startup Gilmour Space fires up with $61 million series C

Simon Thomsen - June 30, 2021 2 MIN READ

The $61m series C included local VCs Blackbird & Main Sequence Gilmour Space plans to launch its first space mission from Australian soil in 2022 Its hybrid rocket offers an environmentally friendly, lower cost launch capability Gold Coast-based rocket design company Gilmour Space has landed a whopping $61 million (US$47m) series C round as… Read more »

Space

RMIT is launching a space tech industry hub

Simon Thomsen - June 23, 2021 2 MIN READ

Victoria is taking on South Australia in the local space race with RMIT University in Melbourne announced plans for a new Space Industry Hub for local companies and researchers. The Victorian government is backing the plan with $1 million in funding matched by SmartSat CRC.This funding will establish several flagship research projects aimed at connecting local… Read more »

Space

Jeff Bezos and his brother are beating the world’s billionaires into space next month

Simon Thomsen - June 8, 2021 2 MIN READ

Amazon boss Jeff Bezos and his brother Mark will be among the first passengers aboard his Blue Origin space mission next month. The world’s second richest man took to Instagram to announce he’d be aboard New Shepard’s first human flight on July 20. “Ever since I was five years old, I’ve dreamed of traveling to… Read more »

Space

Space tourism is coming – all you need is $250,000 and be happy to sign your life away

Cassandra Steer - May 11, 2021 4 MIN READ

Billionaire Jeff Bezos’s space launch company Blue Origin has announced it will sell its first flights into microgravity to the highest bidder. Blue Origin and its two greatest competitors in the “space tourism” field, SpaceX and Virgin Galactic, claim to be advancing humanity through the “democratisation” of space. But these joyrides aren’t opening up access… Read more »

Space

Sydney startup HEO Robotics is putting a camera into space to check satellite infrastructure

Simon Thomsen - May 5, 2021 2 MIN READ

As tens of thousands of satellites are launched into orbit over Earth, UNSW Sydney startup HEO Robotics is looking to launch a space camera next year to help them keep an eye on their space assets. With tech companies ranging from Elon Musk’s Starlink to defence, weather and Internet of Things tech startups all launching… Read more »

Space

Why getting a drone helicopter to fly on Mars is such a big deal

Gail Iles - April 20, 2021 4 MIN READ

Yesterday at 9pm Australian Eastern standard time, the Ingenuity helicopter — which landed on Mars with the Perseverance rover in February — took off from the Martian surface. More importantly, it hovered for about 30 seconds, three metres above the surface and came right back down again. It may not sound like a huge feat,… Read more »

Space

Space accelerator Moonshot just backed 11 startups shooting for the stars

Simon Thomsen - April 16, 2021 2 MIN READ

Space tech incubator Moonshot has nearly trebled its planned investments in local space startups, backing 11 ventures, rather than the four it had planned for 2021. As Moonshot beds down its space tech accelerator and pre-accelerator programs, CEO Troy McCann said they were overwhelmed by the quality of the applicants. “We coordinated a whopping 225… Read more »

Space

Australia’s ‘space command’ could be a force for good — or cause for war

Cassandra Steer - April 6, 2021 4 MIN READ

As the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) celebrated 100 years with a spectacular and well-attended flyover in Canberra last week, many eyes were lifted to the skies. But RAAF’s ambitions go even higher, as its motto “through adversity, to the stars” hints. The Chief of Air Force, Air Marshall Mel Hupfeld, announced the intention to… Read more »

Space

South Australia’s first space incubator program now has nine startups from around the world

Benjamin Filosi - March 31, 2021 3 MIN READ

Nine companies have been selected for a place in the Venture Catalyst Space program to help them grow into space industry leaders. The Venture Catalyst Space program is part of the University of South Australia’s Innovation and Collaboration Centre (ICC), the first of its kind in Australia and a leader in space innovation and business… Read more »

Space

Rocket Lab launched 3 new Australian satellites this week

Simon Thomsen - March 25, 2021 2 MIN READ

Rocket Lab launched satellites by two Australian companies and one for UNSW from its Launch Complex 1 in New Zealand this week. Internet of Things nanosatellites from Adelaide’s Fleet Space Technologies and and Myriota were among several payloads on the Electron booster rocket as part of a mission titled “They Go Up So Fast”, which… Read more »

Space

The Australian Space Forum is a huge opportunity for startups

Georgia Honan - March 17, 2021 2 MIN READ

The Australian Space Forum to be held in South Australia this month will focus on bringing further investment and collaboration opportunities to the growing Australian space industry. The 11th Australian Space Forum will be held on 31 March 2021, in Adelaide, South Australia and will feature the new head of the Australian Space Agency, Enrico… Read more »

Space

Australian startup Valiant Space is building environmentally friendly propulsion systems for satellites

Simon Thomsen - March 1, 2021 2 MIN READ

The skies above Earth are going to become as busy as peak hour traffic in the next few years as companies such as Elon Musk’s SpaceX, as well as Amazon, filling the heavens with tens of thousands of satellites. And all that traffic is going to create issues with avoiding collisions, which is where Australian… Read more »

Space

An Australian bushfire detection satellite is heading into orbit in 2022 in an all-Aussie space adventure

Simon Thomsen - March 1, 2021 < 1 MIN READ

Queensland tech startup Fireball International’s bushfire detection satellite will head into orbit in 2022 thanks to an all-Australian deal that includes in-space transportation provider, Space Machines Company, and rocket company Gilmour Space Technologies. Space Machines Co.’s ‘space taxi’, Optimus-1, carries passenger satellites to orbit around Earth, or potentially to higher bodies like the Moon or Mars.… Read more »

Space

Elon Musk’s satellite broadband, Starlink, is coming to Sydney in 2021

Simon Thomsen - February 22, 2021 2 MIN READ

Elon Musk’s satellite internet service, Starlink, will roll out in Sydney later this year.Startup Daily received an email from Starlink on Friday offering us the chance to sign up for the beta phase of the broadband roll out “on a first-come, first-served basis” in 2021. “Starlink is now available for order to a limited number… Read more »

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