Defence technology and engineering solutions provider KBR is to deliver sustainment services supporting the Australian Defence Force’s satellite communications service. The company has been selected as the industry partner to sustain Aggregated Monitoring and Control (AM&C) of Satellite Earth Stations. The programme of work will be supported by specialist Australian SME Blacktree Technology and US…
Satellite communications SME Blacktree Technology has credited “increasing and diverse European demand” for an almost 400 per cent growth in export revenues in the last financial year to approximately $1.2 million. These contracts “represent the largest value of export sales” in the company’s history, it said on Thursday, with new partnerships formed in Italy, France…
Canberra satellite manufacturer Skykraft has completed what it calls a world first trial of space-based VHF voice communications as part of their development of satellites to provide space-based aviation communications and surveillance services. Voice radio communications in the VHF band are used for communications between pilots and air traffic controllers, with VHF radios standard aircraft…
Nano satellite manufacturer Fleet Space Technologies has expanded its global footprint acquiring rights to new long-term radio frequencies which enable communications with its low earth orbit (LEO) satellite constellation. In its first commercial venture on the continent, Fleet has purchased the frequency of assets of a Luxembourg-based company, giving it effective operational control over an…
Collaborative space research centre the SmartSat Cooperative Research Centre (SmartSat) has launched a $7 million project to develop new autonomous spacecraft using artificial intelligence (AI). The three-year project, Spacecraft Autonomy and Onboard AI for Next Generation Space Systems, or SCARLET-α, aims to create a set of autonomous algorithms that will enable small and distributed spacecraft…
The federal government’s Capability Acquisition and Sustainment Group (CASG) has selected EM Solutions to upgrade the Royal Australian Navy’s SATCOM systems across its existing fleet of vessels, sparking a major expansion for the Brisbane company. Worth $150 million over seven years, this is by far the largest contract ever signed by EM Solutions which will…
STÄRKE expands into injection moulding STÄRKE Advanced Manufacturing Group has announced the acquisition of the complete assets of RIAN INDUSTRIES, a 22 machine injection moulding business in Melbourne. Group CEO Al Jawhari said the company would be known as STÄRKE INJECTION MOULDING PTY. LTD. and combined with the company’s facilities in Adelaide and Detroit, Michigan…
Another Skykraft prototype Air Traffic Management satellite stack has lifted off from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on board a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. Later the company released video footage showing the crfaft separating from the rocket one hour and 17 minutes after lift off (pictured). This was the company’s second launch for 2023,…
The Australian Government has listed a new defence project as a Project of Concern: the Satellite Ground Station – East and Wideband SATCOM Network Management System. While infrastructure for the project has been delivered, including three large ground antennae, it is facing ongoing schedule delays due to other technical challenges. The project is designed to…
