AUSTRALIA IN SPACE
Such great heights
Australia’s longest-standing space technology business on the changing face of Australia’s space industry By Michael Cratt, Managing Director Av-Comm Space and Defence
A
ustralia was an early leader in the global space race
sponsoring the National Space Mission for Earth Observation.
when most notably in 1967, we launched our own
Its efforts sees Australian capability being put to use for all
satellite that played a vital role supporting
Australians and offers us all a focal point to gather around.
interplanetary exploration, human spaceflight with tracking
what I believe has been the Agency’s greatest contribution
over the following decades Australians were considered
to our industry thus far: a culture of collaboration. Thanks to
global leaders in the research and development of critical
Australia’s’ growing confidence in the potential of space and
infrastructure and technologies that energised space-
our place in it, Av-Comm has broadened it’s civil, electrical
enabled businesses.
and project management capabilities, which both local and
However, some time ago our leaders lost sight of the critical contribution Australian industry makes to other space-enabled industries such as telecommunications,
international clients are now taking full advantage of. Av-Comm’s recent announcement of our partnership with Quasar Satellite Technologies to develop an all-Australian
aviation and climate science. Most importantly, Australia’s
ground segment solution, showcases the breadth of Av-
local capabilities were for too long overlooked and
Comm’s experience and capabilities across all areas of ground
underutilised by our own national programs. Thankfully
segment technology and systems engineering to a global
that oversight is easing with the Australian Space Agency
audience. The partnership will support multiple missions
galvanising collaboration between government, academia
including the connectivity of customer telemetry and space
and industry. The formation of the Australian Space Agency in 2018 marked a significant shift in Australia’s commitment to developing local space capabilities. Notably, the Agency’s
22 | Australia in Space Magazine
In my recent 2022 Year in Review article I commented on
and communications. From our industry’s earliest days and
domain awareness services, offering a homegrown, globallyunique solution to local and international customers. What surprises many people is the shape of the Australian space industry today: a group of small to medium-sized
work advocating for legal and regulatory frameworks allowing
enterprises, like Av-Comm, who make a disproportionate
space businesses to operate sustainably, and more-recently,
contribution to Australia’s’ capabilities in Space. Av-Comm’s