Brisbane-based rocket manufacturer Black Sky Aerospace has become the first sovereign Australian company to locally produce Ammonium Perchlorate, a chemical that makes up about 70 percent of most rocket fuel.
The company says the chemical, known as A.P., will help Australia become self-sufficient as it moves to produce sovereign rockets and missiles.
Last week, Defence Minister Richard Marles announced $2.5 billion to accelerate local missile production over a two-year timeframe.
In 2021, Black Sky and the Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre, co-invested $1 million to prove out Australian production of the chemical.
Black Sky announced on 30 April that it had completed the project, produced ammonium perchlorate, and was now planning to establish a sovereign Australian manufacturing capability with local partners.
Black Sky CEO Blake Nikolic said the release of the Defence Strategic Review provided the perfect backdrop for completion of the A.P. project.
“Now that we have produced ammonium perchlorate, we have access to all the knowhow and materials we need to make solid rocket motors for defence and space use here in Australia,” Nikolic said.
“A sovereign Australian Guided Weapons and Explosive Ordnance capability is a major focus of the capabilities required for the Australian Defence Force.
“The next step is to scale up production, creating the industrial base to meet our own needs, and supply the Australian and export markets.
“Previously we had to import A.P., meaning we would always be vulnerable to supply chain disruption when we needed solid fuel for rockets and missiles the most.
“With the ability to produce ammonium perchlorate locally, Black Sky Aerospace can supply the key pre-cursor oxidiser chemical of rocket fuel for missiles.”
Last year Black Sky successfully launched a fully Australian designed and manufactured guided missile.