Australian ground segment operator Capricorn Space and Japan's Infostellar have signed an agreement that will enable Infostellar customers access to their satellite constellations from the Australian Ground Network – West (AGN-W) site near Mingenew in WA.
Established by Capricorn Space to provide global satellite operators southern hemisphere coverage from the Indian Ocean to across the Australian continent, AGN-W currently comprises two 5m S/X-Band antenna systems and associated infrastructure.
The facility became operational in October 2019 after a greenfield construction program was instigated at the beginning of the year.
“We are excited to welcome Infostellar to our family. We have been following their progress with much interest since we first contemplated the establishment of our site in WA," Capricorn Space CEO Mark Thompson said. "Infostellar and their StellarStation platform will make it easier for their customers to secure on-demand access to their satellites as they pass within our coverage zone and we will jointly be able to deliver reliable, cost effective and timely services.
"The strategic location of our site in the Asian corridor has created significant customer interest and we look forward to making additional announcements in the near future. Capricorn Space is providing unique access capabilities for satellite operators in the region with the option to install their own antennas, use our capability directly or partner with global infrastructure coordinators such as Infostellar."
“We have noticed growing demand for S/X-Band communications, and the addition of Capricorn Space’s Western Australia site to our network means we can now offer better coverage to satellite operators looking for scalable, flexible, and affordably priced ground services," Infostellar’s CEO, Naomi Kurahara, said.
"We see Australia as an increasingly attractive place to do space business, and hope that StellarStation’s protocol- and hardware-agnostic platform will contribute to the development of a vibrant space ecosystem with lower barriers to entry.”