More than 1000km from Darwin in north-east Arnhem Land sits a state-of-the-art spaceport.
The Arnhem Space Centre, run by Equatorial Launch Australia, is the country’s only commercial spaceport, and is located near the town of Nhulunbuy, which has a population of just over 3000.
The centre boasts a high-tech launch, return and testing facility, and provides launch services to small and medium lift rocket companies and their payload customers.
Through its strategic location near the equator, advanced technology and startup-like business model, the company aims to deliver the spaceport of the future.
Its advanced launch pads are tailored to a segment of the space sector known as “NewSpace”, which involves smaller rockets carrying payloads of up to about 1500kg.
These launch pads are based on proprietary technology and can seamlessly mate any NewSpace rocket with the launch site.
Currently, spaceports are operating far beyond their capacity, leading to congestion and long delays. Some customers waiting for their payloads to be launched on rockets have to wait up to two years, something that has a substantial impact on the operation of the business.
The Arnhem Space Centre provides an alternative to the other launch options available around the world.
The location of the launch site offers a competitive advantage, taking advantage of Earth’s faster rotation at the equator to give rockets an extra boost, improving efficiency and increasing the possible payload size.
The Arnhem Space Centre Advance Launch Pads and Resident Launcher model is a finalist in the InnovationAus 2024 Award for Excellence in Defence, Dual-Use Tech and Space. The Defence, Dual-Use Tech and Space category is sponsored by Q-CTRL.
The InnovationAus Awards for Excellence winners and finalists will be celebrated at a black-tie gala dinner at The Venue Alexandria in Sydney on Wednesday October 30. You can book your tickets here.
In 2022, Equatorial Launch Australia conducted a series of launches with NASA from the Arnhem Land site.
The following year it signed a deal with South Korean launch vehicle company Innospace beginning from next year.
And just this month it inked a deal with French rocket company Sirius Space Services that will see rockets launched from the Arnhem Space Centre as soon as 2026. The French company will be basing itself from the site from next year.
There are redevelopments currently taking place at the launch site, with an aim to develop eight space launch complexes, including a horizontal integration facility, and two Arnhem Space Centre Space Launch Complexes.
Equatorial Launch Australia was named the Launch Business of the Year at the 2024 Australian Space Awards.
The company is based in Adelaide and has a team of 23 people.
Looking for brand exposure in front of Australia’s tech ecosystem? Purchase a table of 10 for the InnovationAus 2024 Awards for Excellence and have your logo displayed on screens across the venue and in the event programme as a table sponsor.
The InnovationAus 2024 Awards for Excellence are supported by: Australian Computer Society, Investment NSW, Department of Industry, Science and Resources, Technology Council of Australia, TechnologyOne, National Artificial Intelligence Centre, CSIRO’s ON Innovation Program, Reason Group, Q-CTRL, University of New South Wales, and IP Australia.
Protecting your great ideas with intellectual property (IP) rights can lead to lasting benefits for your growing business. IP refers to creations of the mind, such as a brand, logo, invention, design or artistic work. Head to the IP Australia website to find out more about IP, and how it might help your business.
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