17th June 2021 --
Sydney, Australia -- Australian space innovators and entrepreneurs will gain more infrastructure to ensure space access, mission viability and success with the establishment of a network of space payload qualification facilities.
Saber is joining a partner network led by a successful Australian National University (ANU) bid for the Australian Space Agency’s Space Infrastructure Fund grant worth $2.5M. ANU is leading the program to create a national network for next generation flight test services so spacecraft can survive high radiation environments.
The network also includes The Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO), Nova Systems, The University of Wollongong, and Steritech.
Saber Astronautics’ role is to integrate qualification with their space mission control centre program, called the Responsive Space Operations Centre (RSOC). The RSOC will link space weather and data infrastructure, supporting the new satellites that go to the test facility to find appropriate space environment profiles for qualification testing. The RSOC, also a recipient of an Australian Space Agency’s Space Infrastructure Fund grant last year, went live last March and is preparing for a range of new flight customers in the USA and Australia.
Dr Jason Held, CEO of Saber Astronautics noted the benefit the community gets by joining ANU’s program, “This program, and the strength of the partnership, gives exceptional benefit to the community. It links spacecraft testing directly with mission operations, closing the loop between a company’s mission plans and the conditions they will experience before they even get off the ground. This is exactly the testing facility Australia needs to produce the next generation of satellites that can survive in space.”
The partner network will be supplying end-to-end payload testing services such as internationally standardised radiation testing facilities and pyroshock testing capabilities.
“This funding will help transform Australia into a world-leading space qualification ecosystem with reach across the Indo-Pacific region.” said Professor Anna Moore, Director of the ANU Institute for Space.
Saber’s RSOC program operates labs in the USA and Australia providing “follow-the-sun” space mission operations and space traffic services.
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