Western Sydney is set to become a hub for sovereign space manufacturing under a new partnership between the New South Wales government and local startup Space Machines Company.
Space Machines Company will begin producing satellites at the Advanced Manufacturing Readiness Facility (AMRF) before the end of this year, with the aim of scaling hundreds at the site by 2030.
The agreement, announced on Saturday, could also see the company establish a dedicated Hyperscale Satellite Production Facility in Bradfield, building on its existing facility at the University of Technology Sydney Tech Lab near Sydney Airport.
Planning minister Paul Scully said the Rapid Australian Production & Integration for Distributed Space (RAPID) would build “vital skills and a capable workforce in Western Sydney”.
“By linking global industry partners with the Advanced Manufacturing Readiness Facility, we are equipping NSW with the training, equipment and expertise needed to produce world-leading technologies,” he said.
“This partnership marks a transformative step in making Australia’s newest city a leading centre for high-tech manufacturing, workforce development, and sustainable economic growth.”
Space Machines Company chief executive Rajat Kulshrestha said the partnership would help the company to create the “critical infrastructure that will safeguard space for Australia and our allies”.
Last month, Mr Kulshrestha and co-founder George Freney told InnovationAus.com that the company has seen a significant uptick in demand for affordable, highly maneuverable spacecraft in recent months.
The company is several months into the fit-out of what will become its 800 square metre Optimus Factory (OF-1), which is expected to churn out upwards of 20 Optimus Vipers by early 2026.
Optimus Vipers are a rapid-response spacecraft designed to observe, inspect and protect the growing number of satellites in orbit and service other promising space infrastructure.
The RAPID agreement between Space Machines Company and the Bradfield Development Authority comes as Space Machines Company prepares to debut its SolsticeOS platform at the International Astronautical Congress in Sydney.
Marketed as an AI-driven “operating system for orbit”, SolsticeOS promises to transform satellite operations from months of planning into a five-minute mission planning exercise.
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