The UNSW Canberra City campus is now home to a newly launched Skykraft manufacturing facility. The new facility is enabling the development of the largest ever Australian manufactured space payload which is confirmed for launch this year with SpaceX from Florida.
Skykraft is an Australian company and UNSW Canberra spin-off that delivers services from space, focusing on the development of a space-based Air Traffic Management (ATM) service. The new Canberra manufacturing facility will produce ATM services with an aim to deliver surveillance and communications data for aircraft travelling across regions not covered by existing systems, including oceanic or remote locations.
“Skykraft’s space-based solution allows real-time communications between air traffic controllers and pilots, allowing for the reduction in separation between aircraft over oceanic airspace, enhancing efficiency and delivering environmental benefits,” Skykraft’s chairman, Air Vice Marshal (Ret’d) Mark Skidmore, said.
The new manufacturing facility is aiming to produce up to five satellites by 30 June 2022 with a further 12 satellites throughout the second half of 2022. Satellite production is expected to expand in 2023, with 45 satellites scheduled for production in the first half of 2023 and 120 satellites in the second half.