Fleet Space uncovers rare earths without breaking ground


Stuart Mason
Contributor

From Australia’s red lands to the permafrost of Canada, Fleet Space Technologies has deployed its ExoSphere technology to some of the harshest environments in the world. 

ExoSphere is an end-to-end solution for the discovery of critical minerals, using a combination of satellite and space technologies, edge computing and artificial intelligence. 

This allows clients to undertake 3D subsurface mapping up to 2.5km in depth to search for these critical minerals, with nearly no environmental impact. 

Fleet Space chief executive Flavia Tata Nardini

The aim is for Fleet’s technology to provide a more sustainable and scalable way for companies to discover the critical minerals that are crucial to helping nations achieve net-zero carbon emissions and mitigate the impacts of climate change. 

ExoSphere is based on a constellation of satellites, smart seismic sensors and the world’s first multimodal AI foundation model for minerals discovery, all developed and manufactured in Adelaide, and capable of identifying minerals in some of the most remote places on Earth. 

Fleet Space Technologies’ ExoSphere is a finalist in the InnovationAus 2024 Awards for Excellence in Energy and Renewables. You can secure your tickets to the black-tie event here. 

Fleet Space Technologies is a world-leading space exploration company that has successfully launched Australia’s first satellite constellation into low-Earth orbit. It is now using this technology to assist with critical minerals exploration. 

Its ExoSphere platform has already been used by 40 leading exploration companies, including Rio Tinto, Core Lithium and Barrick gold, to conduct more than 400 surveys on five continents. 

The company recently closed a $50 million Series C funding round, which doubled its value to $350 million, and it was listed as Australia’s fastest growing company by the Australian Financial Review in 2023. 

ExoSphere’s smart seismic sensors, called Geodes, have been built with technology that can listen to the natural seismic activity of the Earth’s subsurface with zero environmental impact. 

This data is then sent to Fleet’s satellites in real-time, converted into 3D subsurface visualisation and then delivered to its customers. 

Fleet chief executive Flavia Tata Nardini said the technology is aiming to assist with the transition to renewables. 

“We have arrived at an inflection point in humanity’s journey towards renewable energy,” she said. 

“The mineral exploration industry is on the brink of unprecedented transformation as shallow discoveries are exhausted and demand for critical minerals needed for energy transition continue to intensify.

“Fleet’s space-enabled technology has demonstrated a path to scale critical mineral exploration globally while also helping to reduce environmental impact, which is the only approach that will enable humanity to reach its net-zero ambitions over the coming decades.” 

Fleet is also planning to send a version of ExoSphere to the Moon in the coming years as part of NASA’s CLPS initiative, in order to search for a water source and investigate the geological properties of the Moon. 

This is through a contract with the Australian Space Agency to build a version of ExoSphere for the moon, known as SPIDER. 

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. 

Do you know more? Contact James Riley via Email.

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