Adelaide-based Fleet Space Technologies has signed a $6.4 million contract with Australia’s Defence Space Command, marking their first defence contract.
The agreement will see Fleet's next-generation of commercial Centauri satellites used to develop and demonstrate a Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite communications system focused on tactical communications and data transmission where connectivity is limited, under the program ASCEND2LEO.
ASCEND2LEO is a combined research and development activity between Defence Science and Technology Group (DSTG), Fleet Space Technologies, University of South Australia, Rice Satcom Pty Ltd and SmartSat CRC which involves 'taking advanced research and technologies to demonstrate LEO capabilities to the war fighter'.
“We're excited to collaborate with Defence Space Command and our partners to deliver new capabilities from low Earth orbit," Matt Pearson, Chief Exploration Officer and Co-Founder, Fleet Space Technologies said. "This is only the beginning and we envision Australian satellites supporting national security across land, air, sea and space by connecting our people, our assets and by enabling radical ideas in autonomy and emerging technologies.
"We’re investing heavily in advanced manufacturing, high tech engineering talent, and have a laser focus on delivering innovative solutions at scale for our customers worldwide.”
“Australia is fortunate to have a talented space industry with an inventive spirit," Colonel Clifford White, Director Space Services at Defence Space Command said about the partnership. "Space is operationally critical to the achievement of the Defence mission, and this is an example of innovative way to advance our capability and support the development of a sustainable national space enterprise.
"We look forward to working with Fleet Space as they bring new approaches to enhance satellite communication capabilities to meet Defence’s needs.”
Until now, Fleet Space's expertise in satellite-enabled data transmission technology has mostly been used in mining applications. This contract marks the company's first foray into the defence sector.
SmartSat CEO Professor Andy Koronios said the "ambitious” ASCEND2LEO project would deliver the Defence Space Strategy objective that 'Defence may benefit from repurposing civilian technology for military means, without having to invest in R&D or venture incubation'.
"SmartSat was able to work with Fleet to develop a proposal to do just this – repurpose technology being used for world leading mineral exploration, and technology SmartSat developed to build more resilient Search and Rescue infrastructure, into a demonstration of tactical voice communications,” he said.