Southern Launch successfully launches rockets to edge of space from Koonibba in outback South Australia
SA has taken a huge leap forward towards a multi-billion-dollar space industry, with the successful launch of two rockets from the outback to the edge of space.
SA News
Don't miss out on the headlines from SA News. Followed categories will be added to My News.
South Australia’s space industry officially has liftoff.
After a hiccup in its first attempt last Tuesday, start-up Southern Launch more than made up for it on Saturday, successfully firing two small rockets from the outback to the edge of space.
Australia’s first commercial “space-capable” rocket launches were live-streamed from the Koonibba Test Range northwest of Ceduna.
The first rocket was launched at 10.10am and the second around 11.50am.
More than 100 people including SA senator Rex Patrick were on site for the historic event.
“We as Australians have achieved something incredible today, because today at Koonibba, Australia took its first small step towards once again being a proud space-capable nation,” Southern Launch CEO Lloyd Damp said.
“Today Southern Launch demonstrated our ability to launch our first space-capable rocket, and within two hours, launch another rocket. This demonstrates our ability to provide a future responsive space access to DEWC Systems and our broader customer base.”
A first attempt to launch a 3.4m long, 34kg DART rocket on Tuesday failed after technical problems.
The payload is a hi-tech electronic warfare prototype, designed by DEWC Systems for detecting radar signals.
The successful launch will enable the company to conduct frequency sensing tests.
The rockets travelled up to 100km into the atmosphere, at five times the speed of sound, before their payloads fell back to Earth under a parachute before landing in a remote national park. A recovery effort is underway to locate them.
DEWC Systems CEO Ian Spencer said: “We have learned a lot from our mission which will be used to bolster Defence capability.”
Rocket manufacturer T-Minus Engineering said it was keen to see more launches.
“New exciting capabilities were tested such as DEWC Systems’ excellent work and flight validation of their payload. This is only the start for all three of us,” co-founder Roel Eerkens said.
Royal Australian Air Force air warfare centre director Tobyn Bearman said lessons from the launch would aid the RAAF’s development of “game-changing capabilities in the upper atmosphere”.
“There is so much potential going forward in this growth sector and it’s great to see two South Australian companies leading the charge,” he said.
“This launch will assess the design requirements of low cost, expendable sensors necessary to survive and operate effectively in harsh temperature, gravity and vibration environments,” he said.
Koonibba Community Aboriginal Council chairman Corey McLennan said the launch had “put Koonibba on the map”.
“Our children now dream of being astronauts, rocket scientists and helicopter pilots,” he said.
“The helicopter rides that DEWC Systems organised for the children and adults is something that they would never have experienced or dream of doing were it not for this launch.”
“It has brought so much hope to the Koonibba and the surrounding communities.”
Senator Patrick praised the “huge team effort (between) industry, government and the community”.
Rewatch the launches below. The first launch is visible from 2: 18mins in the video below.