Gilmour Space Technologies proposes $157m facility to house 30 new space manufacturing companies on the Gold Coast
The Gold Coast could house the world’s third largest space technology facility, creating more than 850 local jobs in the next five years, under a $157m plan.
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THE Gold Coast would house the world’s third largest space technology facility, creating more than 850 local jobs in the next five years, under a $157m proposal put to the Federal Government.
More than 30 companies from around Australia would collaborate at the space centre, producing rockets, satellites, software and sensors for the $700b global space industry.
Helensvale company Gilmour Space revealed its bold plans at the Reimagine 2.0 forum in Surfers Paradise, where heads of the city’s biggest sectors met to compare notes and strategise for the future.
Jobs, skills, industry diversification, marketing and talent were key themes of the event, which was hosted by the Gold Coast City Heart Taskforce and heard from two Gold Coast-based Federal Ministers Stuart Robert and Karen Andrews.
Taskforce chairwoman and Member for Moncrieff Angie Bell said the forum would guide targeted outcomes based on insights gleaned from the different sectors of the city.
“Today’s forum is focusing on opportunity, innovation and talent for now and into the future, particularly as our region prepares for the 2032 Olympic Games,” she said.
Gilmour Space Technologies has submitted its proposal for consideration under the Federal Government’s Modern Manufacturing Initiative, a $1.5b project aimed at adopting, commercialising and integrating new technologies into supply chains.
Space is one of six priority areas identified in the initiative.
CEO Adam Gilmour said the proposal would involve collaboration from multiple manufacturing companies, with a third of the funding provided privately, and the State Government also contributing.
“We’ve gone out there and formed the biggest consortium of space companies in Australia to set up a manufacturing precinct, which we hope will be on the Gold Coast,” he said.
“In that precinct will be a very large rocket manufacturing facility and also another facility where a whole lot of companies can come and start manufacturing space components.”
Mr Gilmour said the facility would also have the specialised “clean rooms” and thermal vacuum chamber required to assemble and test products to deal with the rigours of space.
“This will be the best space facility in the country,” he said.
“We’re going to have at least 30 companies participating in this, and they do everything from satellites to rockets to everything in between – components, sensors, software.”
Mr Gilmour said the company was evaluating sites for the proposed facility, which would be between Brisbane and the Gold Coast but “most likely on the Gold Coast”.
“The Gold Coast would be not only the biggest space manufacturer in Australia, but among the biggest in the world,” he said.
“The biggest would be (Florida’s) Cape Canaveral and also in Toulouse in France – this would be the biggest after that.”
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Originally published as Gilmour Space Technologies proposes $157m facility to house 30 new space manufacturing companies on the Gold Coast
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