Moon Roo-ver | Gilmour Space Technologies Launch | Starship IFT2 | Space News - December 2023
AUSTRALIAN SPACE NEWS
Space Machines Company to expand its Adelaide-based mission command centre
Space Machines Company will expand its Adelaide-based mission command centre through 10 new engineering and support staff. Announced by Minister Nick Champion during his visit to India, the expansion will grow the company’s footprint as the collaboration in space between South Australia and India expands.
Based in Lot Fourteen’ technology hub in Adelaide, the mission command centre will play a key role in the command and control of the 270 kg Optimus Orbital Transfer Vehicle, which is scheduled to be launched by SpaceX in 2024. Optimus Orbital will be Australia’s biggest satellite.
Fleet Space ranks #1 in AFR top 100 fastest growing companies
On November 29, Fleet Space Technology was named by the Australian Financial Review as the fastest growing company in Australia with an annual growth rate of 582%.
For those who don’t know, Fleet Space is led by CEO Flavia Tata Nardini. Fleet started by offering nano satellite technology and was able to launch these to Low Earth Orbit in November 2018. Since this time, Fleet Space has expanded into mineral exploration using a technology called Exosphere. Exosphere uses a combination of real-time ambient noise tomography (through a device called Geode), along with space edge computing and in-house software to estimate value of mineral deposits. Customers include Rio Tinto, Barrick Gold and Core Lithium.
Spirit launched on F9
December 2nd saw the launch of Spirit on a SpaceX Falcon 9 from Vandenberg Air Force. Originally reported in November Igniting The Space Down Under, nanosatellite SpIRIT is led by the University of Melbourne.
SpIRIT also is a testbed for Neumann Space’s metal-based propulsion technology. Using only solar power, the propulsion system converts a metallic rod into plasma, which is then ejected at high-speed to create thrust for the satellite.
Gilmour Space Technologies announces 2024 launch
Gimour Space Technologies has announced a 2024 launch of their Eris rocket via X - formally known as Twitter. Sharing some behind the scenes images of Test Flight 1, they also posted an update we were all expecting - first orbital launch attempt to be made in 2024.
Gilmour Space Technologies will be launching from the Bowen Orbital Spaceport based in Northern Queensland.
Our Moon Rover has been named
The Australian Space Agency, in partnership with NASA, is working with Australia’s space industry to design and build an Aussie-made rover that will go to the Moon.
Roo-ver is the name of our history-making rover. The Australian public chose the name, after a competition that saw more than 8,000 entries.
The chosen name was entered by Siwa from New South Wales who said: “Our lunar rover deserves to be named after something iconically Australian, reflecting the Aussie spirit as we launch into this new endeavour. A kangaroo is part of the Australian Coat of Arms and it's time for Australian science to take the next leap all the way up into space.”
NASA will launch the rover in a future Artemis mission. The rover will support global space science and exploration goals. It will also demonstrate Australian innovations on the Moon.
PREDICTIONS FOR THE AUSTRALIAN SPACE INDUSTRY FOR 2024
Gilmour Space Technologies will launch and not make orbit
Starship will make a Moon run with no passengers
Hypersonix will test their vehicle on a Rocket Lab launch
Southern Launch will host 4 launches
ELA will launch a military satellite and 2 commercial launches
Neumann Space will launch its next engine to orbit
GLOBAL SPACE NEWS
NASA’S Inflatable Heat Shield passes technical review
A NASA flight test article came screaming back from space at more than 28,900kmh (18,000 mph), reaching temperatures of nearly 1,500 degrees C (2,700 degrees F) before gently splashing down in the Pacific Ocean. The Test Flight was for an Inflatable Decelerator (or inflatable shield)and was originally launched on Nov. 10, 2022 aboard a United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket.
NASA has been developing these technologies for over a decade. At a recent post-flight analysis assessment, Langley Research Cente the team discovered the shield appeared pristine, with minimal damage.
NASA is now investigating future applications, including partnering with commercial companies to develop technologies for small satellite reentry, aerocapture, and cislunar payloads.
LandSpace to build a fully reusable stainless steel rocket
On November 21, Chinese launch startup LandSpace unveiled plans to develop a reusable stainless steel rocket.
The Zhuque-3 will use stainless propellant tanks and methane-liquid oxygen propellant for its rocket engines. It will be a two-stage launcher with a payload capacity of 20 metric tons to low Earth orbit (in expendable configuration). Recovery of the first stage downrange provides performance of 16.5 tons to LEO. It will also offer return to launch site capability with 11 tons to orbit. A render of the rocket shows grid fins and deployable landing legs on the first stage.
Starship Integrated Test Flight 2
On the same night as the last Igniting The Space Down Under, SpaceX conducted the second integrated test flight of Starship and the super heavy booster which turned out to be a very successful failure.
Post launch, Elon on X, showed 4 remaining Starships now tagged as version 1 either completed or nearing completion. He also teased that both Starship and the super heavy booster will grow by around 10 to 20% in later versions.
PREDICTIONS FOR THE GLOBAL SPACE INDUSTRY FOR 2024
Starship will make a Moon run with no passengers
India will make a lunar practice with their crew module
China will make a lunar crewed lunar run
