QODE Brisbane: $10m launch pad needed for state’s space success

Queensland could get first-mover advantage in the burgeoning space industry, but first a key piece of infrastructure is needed.

AN INVESTMENT of $10 million would open up the skies for a billion-dollar space industry launching commercial satellites into orbit from Queensland, a world-leading Gold Coast rocket developer says, but a Joh-era hangover and government delay is putting the space bonanza at risk.

Adam Gilmour, who founded Gilmour Space Technologies on the Gold Coast is racing towards getting commercial rockets into space by 2022.

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But while the industry is worth billions of dollars, Mr Gilmour said without a Queensland launch site, he has had to arrange to ship his rockets to NASA in the US in case he needs to fire them into orbit from there.

If rockets can’t be launched in Queensland, the state risks losing its slice of the booming sector, Mr Gilmour said.

He said a launch site — which requires a gantry, storage sheds, radar and good internet — could be built somewhere north of Mackay for $5-$10 million and take advantage of Queensland’s natural space launch advantages of a long, often-secluded coastline that stretches north and a wide ocean to the east.

Space companies would also cluster around a Queensland launch site, Mr Gilmour said, creating more jobs.

While the Queensland Government was considering the investment, with space technology and industry moving so fast, if it did not decide soon the state could miss out.

He said earlier proposals under then premier Sir Joh Bjelke-Petersen were far different to the much smaller, much cheaper launch technology of today.

Mr Gilmour said thousands of small 200kg-300kg data satellites were lined up ready for launch from companies promising mobile internet from space that was faster than the NBN promised.

Gilmour Aerospace is one of the top five rocket companies in the world for launching small commercial satellites. Brothers Adam (left) and James Gilmour are the founders. Picture: Nigel Hallett

The extra uninterrupted data would fuel development of everything from autonomous vehicles to farming technology.

“There are not enough rocket launches in the world,” Mr Gilmour said.

“Companies are building thousands of satellites. There’s going to be a huge bottleneck.”

He said space launches created jobs, like the more than 50 employees his company had hired to develop, test and build their 28m-tall rockets.

State Development Minister Cameron Dick said the State Government had backed the space industry with $8 million funding, but was still investigating whether to support a launch site.

“We know Queensland could be ideally suited for space launch,” Mr Dick said.

“A key action of the space strategy is to investigate the opportunity for an orbital launch site in Queensland through a business case.

“There are a range of factors to look at, including environmental considerations, industry needs and potential operating models, and we’ll go through proper due diligence to ensure any potential launch site stacks up.”

The Courier-Mail’s Innovation Queensland series, in partnership with QODE Brisbane, will showcase bright ideas and innovations emerging in the Sunshine State.

QODE Brisbane, Queensland’s largest innovation and technology conference, is on March 24-25.

In the wake of the coronavirus crisis, organisers have transformed QODE into an entirely virtual conference, which will be streamed live via YouTube to a global online audience.