Fleet Space Technologies is an Australian space company focused on revolutionizing mineral exploration, defense, and space exploration. As a manufacturer and connectivity solutions provider, they develop space-enabled technology, including nanosatellites and advanced communication systems, to connect Earth, Moon, and Mars. Their key product, ExoSphere, provides real-time 3D subsurface imaging for mineral discovery, and they are also developing space-based defense capabilities, collaborating with the Australian Defence Space Command. Fleet Space partners with organizations like Rio Tinto and the Australian Space Agency.
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The $5,000,000 MMI grant, matched by capital raised by Fleet Space, will enable Fleet Space to manufacture the entire satellite payload in-house.
Fleet Space has applied for a $5,000,000 grant under the Australian government’s Modern Manufacturing Initiative to establish an advanced satellite manufacturing capability in Adelaide.
The planned Adelaide manufacturing capability will increase Fleet Space’s workforce from 31 to 128 scientists, engineers, and assembly technicians.
Fleet Space Technologies successfully launched the Centauri 3 smallsat on 2021-03-23.
The only currently space-qualified company able to manufacture Fleet Space’s beam-steering antenna is located in Switzerland.
Each Fleet Space smallsat carries an IoT communications payload designed by Fleet Space to connect thousands of sensors monitoring critical infrastructure with owners’ and managers’ base stations in real time, 24 hours a day.
Australian firms can currently manufacture PCBAs up to 12 layers deep, while Fleet Space Technologies needs the capability to design and prototype PCBAs up to 26 layers deep.
Fleet Space Technologies is supplementing the $5,000,000 MMI grant application with nearly $4,000,000 the company is raising itself and additional support from the South Australian government.
Fleet Space Technologies plans to build a new factory with more than double the current space for research, development, and manufacturing.
Fleet Space Technologies estimates a full constellation of 140 nanosatellites could generate $1,820,000,000 in lifetime revenue.
Fleet Space Technologies had a payroll of 31 staff and plans to increase its payroll to 128 by 2024 if the MMI grant application is successful.
Fleet Space Technologies has spent $12,000,000 since 2015 on research and development to develop a beam-steering antenna and to miniaturize its satellites’ communications capabilities.
Fleet Space Technologies requires a constellation of 140 nanosatellites in low Earth orbit to achieve seamless global coverage.
Fleet Space Technologies has two additional satellite launches scheduled for 2021 and 16 launches scheduled in 2022–23.
Fleet Space Technologies has partnered with the University of Adelaide’s Institute of Photonics and Advanced Sensing, Redarc Electronics, Hawker Richardson, and Lintek to build industrial capability to manufacture smallsats in Australia.
Fleet Space Technologies aims to manufacture the entire payload in Australia, including 3D printing the advanced beam-steering antenna and designing and manufacturing Printed Circuit Board Assemblies (PCBAs) up to 26 layers deep.
Q-Ctrl is collaborating with Fleet Space Technologies to develop quantum sensors to mount on nanosatellites.
Centauri 3 will join Fleet Space Technologies’ planned 140-strong constellation of small satellites.
This mission is Fleet Space Technologies’ second launch using Rocket Lab following the Proxima I and Proxima II launches from Māhia in 2018.
Centauri 3 will power Fleet Space Technologies’ global network of connected devices deployed across resource and mining industries.