SmartSat CRC is Australia's leading space research center, functioning as a consortium of research organizations, universities, and industry partners, and is funded by the Australian government. Established in 2019, it aims to develop know-how and technologies in advanced telecommunications, intelligent satellite systems, next-generation Earth observation, and IoT connectivity. SmartSat CRC fosters innovation, develops advanced technologies, and aims to enhance Australia's space capabilities. It collaborates with entities like the Australian Space Agency, Department of Defence, Airbus, and various universities to grow Australia's space industry, create export economic value, and generate new high-tech jobs.
All verified mentions of this organization in source documents.
Professor Andy Koronios is the CEO of SmartSat Cooperative Research Center.
On February 18, 2026, Loft Orbital signed a strategic contract with the SmartSat Cooperative Research Centre to deploy a software-defined wildfire detection application onto Loft’s existing on-orbit AI-enabled satellites.
The demonstration is intended to allow refinement of SmartSat CRC’s detection models and to test the technical feasibility of generating low-latency alerts for fire agencies and emergency services.
SmartSat Cooperative Research Center developed the wildfire detection model used in the demonstration.
SmartSat CRC is leveraging Loft Orbital’s AI-enabled satellites to test its wildfire detection model.
ASII will build on the success of the SmartSat Cooperative Research Centre (SmartSat CRC).
Professor Craig Smith, the Mike Miller SmartSat Chair in Telecommunications at UniSA, stated that the partnership will strengthen Australia’s position in the global space race.
Up to $6,000,000 will be made available from the New Zealand Government’s Catalyst Fund to support New Zealand researchers participating in collaborative research projects through Australia’s SmartSat Cooperative Research Centre.
The satellites will be equipped with SmartSat, Lockheed Martin's software platform that enables dynamic mission additions and rapid mission changes in orbit through simple application uploads.
SmartSat is built into several Lockheed Martin demonstrator satellites, including one Pony Express 1 satellite launched in 2019.
SmartSat is hosted on about 10 Space Development Agency Transport Layer Tranche 0 satellites launched in 2023.
SmartSat is built into the LM LINUSS satellites launched in 2022.
Infinity Avionics received approximately 1 million Australian dollars (about $660,000) in funding from the SmartSat CRC research consortium, the Australian Capital Territory government, and internal research funding.
The Advanced 0.005 kg Satellite Base Station is reprogrammable on orbit using Lockheed Martin’s SmartSat software-defined satellite architecture.
The smallsats are equipped with SmartSat, Lockheed Martin’s software platform for dynamically adding and changing missions in orbit through app uploads.
Each Lockheed Martin-built satellite is equipped with SmartSat, Lockheed Martin's software platform that enables dynamic mission additions and rapid mission changes in orbit through app uploads.
SmartSat and ESA Φ-lab identified collaboration between researchers at the Queensland University of Technology and Φ-lab to develop advanced AI capabilities using hyperspectral satellite imagery.
SmartSat signed a new agreement with the European Space Agency’s Φ-lab to collaborate on Earth Observation research.
SmartSat Cooperative Research Centre launched a $7,000,000 project called Spacecraft Autonomy and Onboard AI for Next Generation Space Systems (SCARLET-α).
Professor Andy Koronios is the CEO of SmartSat CRC.