Australian Space Manufacturing Network to build three facilities, apply for $150M in MMI grants
The newly formed Australian Space Manufacturing network (ASMN), led by Queensland-based Gilmour Space Technologies, will bid for $150 millions-worth of grants under the Australian government’s Modern Manufacturing Initiative – Collaboration (MMI-C) stream. The AMSN, which boasts more than 30 members, also aims to build three new space facilities in Queensland:
- A common test and manufacturing facility, enabling members to advance their space research and technology development at lower cost
- An advanced manufacturing facility for building commercial rockets and satellites, anchored by Gilmour Space itself
- An orbital; space port at Abbot Point, near Bowen in north Queensland, that will help bring many of these things to space
“With participation from six states and territories in Australia, we see this as a genuinely industry- led project that will provide the framework and infrastructure needed to unlock collaborations, create jobs and capability, attract private investment, and advance Australian space technologies from initial concept through to commercialisation and launch,” said Adam Gilmour, CEO of Gilmour Space Technologies.
“The Space industry is still very new relative to other industry pillars, and it lacks the funding and basic infrastructure to support it,” he added, explaining the motivation behind the AMSN.
Dr Cori Steward, CEO of ARM Hub which is one of ASMN’s members, said: “For Australia’s manufacturing future, we need to do bigger business together. As a key partner in the Australian Space Manufacturing Network, ARM Hub will be catalysing commercialisation through industry access to the nation’s expertise, de-risking technology adoption and building workforce digital capability, collaboratively.
“With the global space economy expected to grow to a trillion dollars by 2030, the MMIC will provide timely support for our emerging space manufacturers to develop and mature significant, and globally competitive, space capabilities in Australia,” said Mr Gilmour.
Among the ASMN founding members are Swinburne University of Technology in Victoria; Space Machines Company and Neumann Space in South Australia; Electro Optic Systems (EOS) and Greatcell Energy in the ACT; Spiral Blue in New South Wales; the ARM Hub and Griffith University in Queensland; and a number of international space companies, such as SatRevolution from Poland, which are looking to set up operations in Australia and provide export and supply chain opportunities to local companies.
“Australian space manufacturing facilities will unlock Australia’s true potential as a respected space faring nation,” said Glen Tindall, CEO of EOS Communications Systems. “The Australian Space Manufacturing Network and the diverse range of partners it brings together, demonstrates the end-to-end benefit these types of facilities will have across Australia and beyond.”
The ASMN proposal has been submitted to the Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources. ?Gilmour Space plans to launch the first Australian-made rockets and satellites to orbit in 2022.