Southern Launch, DEWC to launch EW payload on 15 September

Adelaide-based Electronic Warfare (EW) company DEWC plans to launch its DEWC-SP1 payload aboard a T-Minus Engineering DART rocket from the Southern Launch centre at Koonibba, near Ceduna in SA, on 15 September. The launch will take the payload to an altitude of 100km.

The 27cm long SP1 payload is a prototype EW unit capable of detecting RF signals. It will return to earth under a parachute as part of a data-gathering exercise by DEWC. This will contribute to further development of DEWC’s own constellation of up to 20 cube stats, the Miniaturised Orbital Electronic Warfare Sensor System (MOESS), which could go into orbit by late-2023. This research is being funded under a $3.1 million defence Innovation Hub contract announced in April.

Southern Launch’s Koonibba Test Range is the biggest privately operated rocket test range in the world and extends over 145km of outback South Australia, making recovery of payloads and debris much easier. Southern Launch also has a commercial launch site under construction at Whalers Bay, near Port Lincoln, SA. This will be used for orbital launches, while Koonibba will be used mainly for sub-orbital launches.