Equatorial Launch Australia confirms decision to relocate spaceport to Weipa in Queensland
An Australian space company is set to land in the Sunshine State, after confirming its decision to relocate its spaceport to a new site in Queensland, with the first launches due next year. FIND OUT WHERE
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An Australian space company is set to land in the Sunshine State, relocating its spaceport to a new site in Queensland.
Equatorial Launch Australia (ELA) has revealed its decision to immediately cease operations of its Northern Territory Arnhem Space Centre and relocate to Queensland.
The new site named the “Australian Space Centre Cape York”, would be located in the coastal mining town of Weipa.
Working alongside the Queensland Government, ELA has begun initial planning and regulatory clearances for launches contracted to occur in Quarter 3 of 2025.
ELA said the decision to relocate comes off the back of delays to the Arnhem Space Centre’s extended lease approval.
“The decision came after the Northern Land Council (NLC) failed to meet its own specified deadline for the approval of The Head Lease for the fourth time over the last 12
months in October 2024,” the space company said in a statement.
“Despite desperate appeals from ELA, the Northern Territory Chief Minister’s
Department and the Gumatj Corporation since February 2024, the NLC has not
provide any official reasons for the delays.
“ELA would like to thank the unrelenting support of the Northern Territory Government
and the Gumatj Corporation, who have both been exemplary partners in the spaceport’s
eight-year existence and throughout this difficult process.”
The Northern Territory spaceport, near Nhulunbuy, in Arnhem Land, was designed to provide full-stage and engine testing, to ensure components work before launch.
The space centre was also equipped to launch both suborbital and small orbital flights.
American space agency, NASA, previously used the spaceport for its first launch outside of the United States in 2022.
ELA chief executive Michael Jones said while the new location had been identified, the space company was still working with the Queensland Government and Rio Tinto, which owns a mining site in Weipa, to secure and lease an area for the site.
While he was disappointed the spaceport had to leave the Northern Territory, Mr Jones said the town of Weipa provided the ability to grow in ways ELA hadn’t before.
“There is a lot of work to do between us, the Queensland Government and Rio Tinto. We have hopes of showing our customers the initial stages of the site by January,” he said.
“The proposed new site is much larger and more flat. There is also a massive astrophysical benefit to being closer to the equator.
“It is a really exciting option, and now the whole company is really excited for the move.”
Mr Jones said ELA had been engaging with the Western Cape community to create local jobs.
“It is a big thing for the area and that is what we are excited about,” he said.
“This move will put Queensland on the map as a leading space state.”
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