The Australian government has awarded Fleet Space Technologies, a South Australia-based satellite developer, a $20M grant to build a “space manufacturing hub.” This new grant supplements an AUS $20M (~$15M) grant the company had already received from the government of South Australia, along with a consortium of space companies and investors.
The startup has big ambitions for the Australian space sector, and aims to push the country’s spacefaring capabilities to the next level with increased manufacturing capacity.
New build: Fleet Space has put the total project value for constructing the manufacturing hub, which it’s calling the Hyper Factory, at $66M AUS (~$48M).
- The project will reportedly create 221 jobs in the space sector, as well as an additional 1,104 jobs along the supply chain.
- The new facility will provide space for designing, building, testing, and launching components for the company’s satellites.
High on the priority list for construction: Alpha, Fleet Space’s planned broadband smallsat constellation. Alpha satellites will be constructed with additive manufacturing and 3D printing to lower costs.
Global expansion: Last month, Fleet Space announced its plans to expand stateside and establish an office in Houston. The company chose Space City to be close to NASA facilities and resources. This move is part of the company’s larger plan to integrate with the global space economy.
