The Aussie Space Radar Project (ASRP) is a A$240M international collaboration between Australia and the United States, with A$160M of direct investment by
LeoLabs Incorporated (U.S.) and partners in Australia’s space and manufacturing industries. This would be the largest investment by a foreign company into Australia’s space industry in decades and is a truly transformational project for Australia’s space, electronics manufacturing and defence sectors.
Under the ASRP, LeoLabs Australia – in collaboration with three leading Australian electronics manufacturers (Lintek, SRX and Ampcontrol Australia) – will manufacture and license LeoLabs’ next-generation modular space radar system in Australia for export to the world. LeoLabs Australia, should it be successful under the Modern Manufacturing Initiative, will build LeoLabs’ first next-generation Low Earth Orbit (LEO) modular space radar in the Northern Territory; and then build the world’s first commercial Deep Space Radar in northern Western Australia, creating a pipeline of lasting Indigenous jobs. This technology is strategically vital to Australia’s and its allies’ national security and will provide a sovereign space surveillance capability for government and commercial enterprises that can track every object in every orbit in real-time in Australia’s sphere of interest.
The ASRP would be a long-term commitment to Australia should the grant application be successful and will position Australia as a space surveillance superpower and the sole global provider of LeoLabs Inc’s proprietary high-tech modular radar system. Over the next ten years, LeoLabs Australia plans to manufacture its modular radars across regional New South Wales and Victoria, creating over 200 highly skilled jobs and export sales valued at over A$400M. Overall this project has the potential to enhance Australia’s sovereign space surveillance capability and enable Australian space operators to keep space safe, secure and sustainable.
“We are incredibly proud to bring this world leading technology to Australia”
said LeoLabs Australia Managing Director Terry van Haren
“It shows tremendous confidence in our Australian manufacturing partners, whilst also being a transformational project for the Australian Space Industry,”
“This is a multi-year manufacturing commitment in Australia, with ongoing manufacturing and exports valued in excess of A$400M. We believe it will be foundational to the growth of the manufacturing, space and defence industries here in Australia.”
James Brown, CEO, Space Industry Association of Australia noted
“We’re excited to see LeoLabs Australia make a commitment to increase Australia’s space situational awareness capabilities.
“This proposal and this level of funding is significant and would dramatically increase Australia’s ability to be a player in the global space situational awareness market and contribute to the important task of space traffic management. We’re particularly delighted to see them contributing to the development of space infrastructure in the Northern Territory and Western
Australia.”
