Australia’s first Satellite Manufacturing Hub for larger Earth Observation satellites up to 500 kg in weight will be established at the South Jerrabomberra Regional Jobs Precinct in NSW and at the UTS Tech Lab, adjacent to the Sydney Innovation and Technology Precinct in Botany, NSW.
The Hub will come through a $71 million investment and collaboration between Electro Optic Systems (EOS), Nova Systems, UTS Tech Lab, Gilmour Space, and the federal and NSW governments.
The ASMH will provide secure facilities to enable research and development collaborations between industry, Australian universities and CSIRO as well as the design, prototyping, manufacturing, integration, and testing of large satellites and payloads.
“Funding for the Australian Satellite Manufacturing Hub will further help lift our credentials as a leading space nation," Minister for Industry, Energy and Emissions Reduction Angus Taylor said.
“This Hub will help grow capability in our space sector, support the development of new high-skilled jobs and enable the space supply chain a place where collaboration to build large satellites is right here at home.”
“This new collaborative manufacturing capability fills recognised gaps in Australia’s current space manufacturing landscape by enabling the local development of large, high-quality, reliable spacecraft and optical payloads that are capable of fulfilling complex missions which deliver national economic benefit,” said Glen Tindall, CEO, EOS Space Systems.
The project's satellite manufacturing hubs address key opportunity areas identified in the Space National Manufacturing Priority road map, such as nano and small satellite development, propellants and fuels, payloads, sensors, solar panels, structural components, optics, new space related technologies and materials, optical wireless communication technologies and key ground segment subsystems.
They also address key components of the Earth Observation from Space Roadmap by building a domestic satellite manufacturing capability for Earth Observation and developing a skilled workforce to support not only the space sector but also the broader Australian economy.
“The Australian Satellite Manufacturing Hub will drive a nationwide approach to developing Australia’s space qualified ecosystem and will see the assembly and integration of larger satellites, space vehicles and components,” said Nova Systems Chief Executive Officer, Jim McDowell.