The South Australian Government has announced a new dedicated facility for the rapidly growing space industry – the Australian Space Park. The South Australian Government will invest AU$20million in Australia’s first dedicated space manufacturing hub, which will co-locate four space manufacturing companies in a purpose-built facility with a focus on collaboration in the heart of Australia’s ‘Space State’.
Following this announcement from the South Australian Government and Fleet Space’s recent Series B raise of USD$26.4 million, Fleet Space has announced it will build its new Hyper Factory at the Australian Space Park.
From the Hyper Factory, Fleet Space’s 3D-printed Alpha smallsat constellation will be designed, engineered and manufactured. Alpha, which also integrates beamforming antennas and electronics, will run alongside Fleet Space’s existing collaboration with Centuri constellation partner, Tyvak, creating a complimentary constellation that further increases its connectivity speed and reach.
The Australian Space Park will be the first of its kind in the southern hemisphere. Four companies, Fleet Space Technologies, Q-CTRL, ATSpace and Alauda Aeronautics, will co-locate in the facility with a focus on collaboration and production of small satellites and their payloads, rockets, electric vertical take-off and landing vehicles (eVTOL), and supporting componentry and technical systems.
“The creation of the Australian Space Park signals our commitment to the South Australian and Australian space sector by bridging the gap between research and development and prototyping to production at scale,” Stephen Marshall, Premier of South Australia said.
Adelaide Airport has been identified by the industry consortium as an ideal location for the Australian Space Park due to its proximity to traditional aerospace companies and the central business district and innovation precinct, Lot Fourteen, which is home to a growing community of space companies. The State Government is in discussions with Adelaide Airport as a potential location for the Australian Space Park.
“The South Australian Government’s investment in the Australian Space Park confirms that our home in Adelaide is the true centrepoint of the nation’s ‘Space State’," Flavia Tata Nardini, CEO and Co-Founder, Fleet Space Technologies, said. "It also confirms our leaders’ vision to put the country on the world stage as a global centre of excellence for innovation, design and manufacture of space technology - an ambition that Fleet Space is proud to share.”