SA-based company developing an ion space drive that could fuel a trip to Mars

A spacefaring company that’s just moved into Lot Fourteen is working on an ion drive that’ll power satellites in orbit – and eventually possibly spaceships to Mars.

• Australian Space Agency sets its flight path to 20,000 jobs
• Future ADL: The space industry rebooted

In an office on North Tce, a rocket scientist is working on an ion thruster that can shunt satellites around in space, and might one day go to Mars.

Dr Paddy Neumann explained the Centre-Triggered Pulsed Cathodic Arc Thruster technology to Premier Steven Marshall yesterday – with some success.

Dr Neumann’s company, Neumann Space, has just moved into Lot Fourteen and signed a deal to work with fellow tenant, Inovor Technologies. Thanks to $850,000 funding through the State Government’s Commercialisation and Start-up Fund, Neumann will develop its propulsion systems for Inovor’s nanosatellites.

Dr Neumann previously made headlines for his work on an ion drive that could use recycled space junk for a fuel-efficient trip to Mars.

Matthew Tetlow (CEO Inovor Technologies) holding a 3U Cubesat and Dr Patrick Neumann (Chief Scientist - Head of R&D) with a demo of the pulsed cathodic arc thruster. Picture: Tricia Watkinson

His technology uses ionised metal particles, shooting them out of the propulsion system to send the spacecraft in a certain direction.

This is the technology he will adapt for Inovor’s satellites. “It can move around, maintain its orbit, transition to different orbit, so that the people who own and operate the very small satellites, the cube satellites and nano satellites, will be able to do more things, have a richer variety of missions and get a better return on investment,” Dr Neumann explained.

Mr Marshall called it a “historic” moment at Lot Fourteen, and said the site was “becoming a globally exciting precinct” as the Australian Space Agency and other groups moved in.

He expected many more companies to join.

Inovor’s chief executive Matt Tetlow said at the moment, nanosatellites had no propulsion so they couldn’t go into a different orbit, or “de-orbit”.

In defence it is particularly useful to be able to propel satellites to an exact position. And deorbiting means less space junk floating around. The Neumann technology could also let satellites dock with other craft, Dr Tetlow said.

Australian Space Agency chief Megan Clark said the technology could be used in joint missions with other countries.

“We would love to start building in some of this thinking into future missions to other planets as well. Planets that don’t have atmospheres, you need to have a propulsion system,” she said.

“Imagine a cubesat going around Mars with this technology.”

Dr Neumann was based in Sydney, but said he moved to Adelaide because of the enthusiastic State Government as well as other benefits of the city.