Australian-Owned Satellite Database

Personalise
2D Australian satellite statistics

This study presents an analysis of historical data on all Australia-owned satellites launched since 1967, starting with the inaugural Australian satellite, "WRESAT."

Data was collected from various space catalogs and databases, including some based on orbital software data files and others referenced by satellite operators. It's important to note that the resulting dataset on Australian spacecraft is informative but not authoritative. This highlights the challenge of establishing precise spaceflight information. Nonetheless, the dataset includes information on each satellite's mission, launch year, operational status, mission type, application, operators, mass, volume, and more. Visual aids like graphs and histograms are included to provide a quick overview of Australia's historical spaceflight endeavors. Furthermore, the findings showcase Australia's in-house capabilities for space mission design, production, and operation.

Below is the Australian-owned satellite database created for this project, and current as of August 19, 2023. All citations in creation to this table can be seen under the 'citations' tab. Below the database contains another table to explain and define the datasets pertaining to each satellite.

Satellite Name
NOARD ID
Mission purpose
Operational status
Operator
Launch year
Configuration(U)
Launch Mass(kg)
Contractors
Launch site
Launch Site Country
MissionType
OrbitType
WRESAT
3054
Science Technology and Education
Decayed
WRE & University of Adelaide
1967
45
WOMRA
Australia
Non-profit
LEO
Australis - OSCAR 5 (AO-5)
4321
Communication
Decayed
University of Melbourne
1970
17.7
AFWTR
US
Non-profit
LEO
OPTUS A1 (AUSSAT 1)
15993
Communication
Inactive
OPTUS
1985
1250
Hughes
AFETR
US
Commercial
GEO
OPTUS A2 (AUSSAT 2)
16275
Communication
Inactive
OPTUS
1985
1250
Hughes
AFETR
US
Commercial
GEO
OPTUS A3 (AUSSAT 3)
18350
Communication
Inactive
OPTUS
1987
1250
Hughes
FRGUI
French Guiana
Commercial
GEO
OPTUS B2 (AUSSAT B2)
22278
Communication
Decayed
OPTUS
1992
2858
Hughes
XICLF
China
Commercial
GEO
OPTUS B1 (AUSSAT B1)
22087
Communication
Inactive
OPTUS
1992
2858
Hughes
XICLF
China
Commercial
GEO
OPTUS B3
23227
Communication
Inactive
OPTUS
1994
2800
Hughes
XICLF
China
Commercial
GEO
WESTPAC (Western Pacific Satellite)
25398
Geodesy
Active
EOS
1998
23.8
Russian Institute for Space Device Engineering (RISDE)
TYMSC
RussiaBaikonur
Commercial
LEO
FedSat
27598
Science Technology and Education
Decayed
CRCSS
2002
58
Space Innovations Limited (bus)
TANSC
Japan
Non-profit
LEO
OPTUS C1 (Optus and Defence C1)
27831
Communication
Active
OPTUS & DEFENCE
2003
4800
Mitsubishi Electric (prime), Space Systems/Loral (SS/L) (bus)
FRGUI
French Guiana
Commercial
GEO
OPTUS D1
29495
Communication
Active
OPTUS
2006
2300
Orbital Sciences Corporation (OSC)
FRGUI
French Guiana
Commercial
GEO
OPTUS D2
32252
Communication
Active
OPTUS
2007
2460
Orbital Sciences Corporation (OSC)
FRGUI
French Guiana
Commercial
GEO
OPTUS D3
35756
Communication
Active
OPTUS
2009
2500
Orbital Sciences Corporation (OSC)
FRGUI
French Guiana
Commercial
GEO
OPTUS 10
40146
Communication
Active
OPTUS
2014
3270
Space Systems/Loral (SS/L)
FRGUI
French Guiana
Commercial
GEO
SKY MUSTER 1 (NBN 1A)
40940
Communication
Active
NBN Co Limited
2015
6440
Space Systems/Loral (SS/L)
FRGUI
French Guiana
Commercial
GEO
SKY MUSTER 2 (NBN 1B)
41794
Communication
Active
NBN Co Limited
2016
6440
Space Systems/Loral (SS/L)
FRGUI
French Guiana
Commercial
GEO
Buccaneer RMM
43014
Science Technology and Education
Active
University of New South Wales & DSTG
2017
3
4
UNSW & DSTG
VAFB
US
Non-profit
LEO
I-INSPIRE II (AU03)
42731
Science Technology and Education
Decayed
University of Sydney
2017
2
2
University of Sydney
TYMSC
RussiaBaikonur
Non-profit
LEO
SUSAT(AU01)
42730
Science Technology and Education
Decayed
University of Adelaide
2017
2
2
University of Adelaide
TYMSC
RussiaBaikonur
Non-profit
LEO
UNSW-ECO (AU02)
42732
Science Technology and Education
Decayed
University of New South Wales
2017
2
2
UNSW
TYMSC
RussiaBaikonur
Non-profit
LEO
SIRION PATHFINDER-2
43759
Communication
Active
EchoStar
2018
6
10
Astro Digital
AFWTR
US
Commercial
LEO
CENTAURI-2
43722
Science Technology and Education
Decayed
Fleet
2018
3
3.3
Tyvak Nano-Satellite Systems, Inc.
Vandenberg Space Force Base
US
Commercial
LEO
M1
43779
Science Technology and Education
Inactive
University of New South Wales
2018
3
4
UNSW
KVBG
US
Non-profit
LEO
CENTAURI-1
43809
Communication
Active
Fleet
2018
3
3.3
Tyvak Nano-Satellite Systems, Inc.
Satish Dhawan Space Centre
India
Commercial
LEO
PROXIMA 2
43696
Communication
Active
Fleet
2018
1.5
1.5
Tyvak Nano-Satellite Systems, Inc.
RLLB
New Zealand
Commercial
LEO
PROXIMA 1
43694
Communication
Active
Fleet
2018
1.5
1.5
Tyvak Nano-Satellite Systems, Inc.
RLLB
New Zealand
Commercial
LEO
ACRUX1
44368
Science Technology and Education
Decayed
Melbourne Space Program
2019
1
1
RLLB
New Zealand
Non-profit
LEO
TYVAK-0171 (EG 2)
46295
Communication
Active
EchoStar
2020
6
10
Tyvak Nano-Satellite Systems, Inc.
FRGUI
French Guiana
Commercial
LEO
TYVAK-0172 (EG 1)
46267
Communication
Active
EchoStar
2020
6
10
Tyvak Nano-Satellite Systems, Inc.
Cape Canaveral
US
Commercial
LEO
M2 Pathfinder
45727
Science Technology and Education
Active
University of New South Wales/ RAAF
2020
3
24
UNSW
RLLB
New Zealand
Non-profit
LEO
M2-A (previously M2)
47967
Science Technology and Education
Active
University of New South Wales/ RAAF
2021
6
10
UNSW
Mahia Peninsula
New Zealand
Non-profit
LEO
M2-B
47973
Communication
Active
University of New South Wales/ RAAF
2021
6
10
UNSW
Mahia Peninsula
New Zealand
Non-profit
LEO
CENTAURI-3 (TYVAK-0210)
47966
Communication
Active
Fleet
2021
6
10
Tyvak Nano-Satellite Systems, Inc.
Mahia Peninsula
New Zealand
Commercial
LEO
CENTAURI-4 (TYVAK-0211)
48898
Communication
Active
Fleet
2021
6
10
Tyvak Nano-Satellite Systems, Inc.
Cape Canaveral
US
Commercial
LEO
MYRIOTA 7 (TYVAK-0152)
47968
Communication
Active
Myriota
2021
3
3.3
Tyvak Nano-Satellite Systems, Inc.
Mahia Peninsula
New Zealand
Commercial
LEO
TYVAK-0173 (EG 3)
48892
Communication
Active
EchoStar
2021
6
12
Tyvak Nano-Satellite Systems, Inc.
Cape Canaveral
US
Commercial
LEO
CUAVA-1
49275
Science Technology and Education
Decayed
University of Sydney
2021
3
3.3
University of Sydney
Kennedy Space Centre
US
Non-profit
LEO
Binar 1
49272
Science Technology and Education
Decayed
Curtin Unversity
2021
1
1.5
Curtin University
Kennedy Space Centre
US
Non-profit
LEO
CENTAURI 5
52742
Communication
Active
Fleet
2022
6
12
Tyvak Nano-Satellite Systems, Inc.
Cape Canaveral
US
Commercial
LEO
Skykraft-1
55041
Communication
Active
Skykraft
2023
300
Skykraft
Cape Canaveral
US
Commercial
LEO
Skykraft-1D
55052
Communication
Active
Skykraft
2023
Skykraft
Cape Canaveral
US
Commercial
LEO
Skykraft-1A
55054
Communication
Active
Skykraft
2023
Skykraft
Cape Canaveral
US
Commercial
LEO
Skykraft-1B
55058
Communication
Active
Skykraft
2023
Skykraft
Cape Canaveral
US
Commercial
LEO
Skykraft-1C
55061
Communication
Active
Skykraft
2023
Skykraft
Cape Canaveral
US
Commercial
LEO
Skykraft-3
56229
Communication
Active
Skykraft
2023
300
Skykraft
Vandenberg Space Force Base
US
Commercial
LEO
Skykraft-3A
56981
Communication
Active
Skykraft
2023
Skykraft
Vandenberg Space Force Base
US
Commercial
LEO
Skykraft-3B
56227
Communication
Active
Skykraft
2023
Skykraft
Vandenberg Space Force Base
US
Commercial
LEO
Skykraft-3C
56228
Communication
Active
Skykraft
2023
Skykraft
Vandenberg Space Force Base
US
Commercial
LEO
Skycraft-3D
57956
Communication
Active
Skycraft
2023
300
Skycraft
Vandenberg Space Force Base
US
Commercial
LEO
SPIRIT
58468
Science Technology and Education
Active
University of Melbourne
2023
6
11.5
University of Melbourne
Vandenberg Space Force Base
US
Non-profit
LEO
  • Column number Dataset Description
    1 Satellite name The official and other given names of the satellite
    2 NORAD ID Official sequential number assigned by United States Space Command in order of launch. Satellites launched as a single payload with other numerous satellites separating from the launch body will only count as a singular Australian satellite launch as it will have a single NORAD ID
    3 Mission purpose The categorical use of the satellite, either communications, geodesy, or science and technology and education
    4 Operational status Whether the satellite is active, inactive, or decayed. An active satellite is still operational and can transmit/ receive signals. Inactive satellites are no longer operational but still in orbit. A decayed satellite has fallen from orbit and re-entered the Earth's atmosphere
    5 Operator The main operator of the satellite. This may be a joint position
    6 Launch year The year the satellite was launched
    7 Configuration Applicable for Cub sat design specifications e.g. 1U, 1.5U, 2U, 3U, 6U, 12U. A 1U Cube sat is a 10cm cube with a maximum mass of 2kg
    8 Launch mass Launch mass of the satellite. Cube sats usually specify mass depending on size specification
    9 Contractors Manufacturing company of satellite
    10 Launch site The site at which the satellite was launched
    11 Launch site country The country of Launch Site
    12 Mission type Profit or commercial
    13 Orbit type Two types; LEO (low Earth orbit about 160-2000km), and GEO (geostationary orbit 35,786km above equator)
    14 Year inactive/not operational The year which any previous active satellites are now inactive

Explore the project

About the project

Learn more about the background of this project, as well as the methodology and research practices used to develop it.

Quick stats and graphs

Understand the overall trends, downfalls, and highlights in the Australian-owned satellite data collected.

Australian-Owned debris projection

Discover debris creation projections from Australian-Owned satellites.

Citations

See references used to develop the research for this project as well as developing the database.