$6m Grant for Mission Control Centre

A member of Kuma Karro Dance Group performs at the Lot Fourteen smoking ceremony.

The Australian Space Agency has announced a new grant of $6 million to establish the new Mission Control Centre at Lot Fourteen.

The Mission Control Centre will complement the Australian Space Agency and the Australian Space Discovery Centre, which will both also be established at Lot Fourteen.

This new Mission Control Centre will allow start-ups, small to medium businesses, and researchers to access space-enabled data, and control satellite missions, enabling real-time testing and accelerated improvement of satellite technology. The centre will play a key role in Australia’s space program.

The grant is open now until February 4. It is part of the Space Infrastructure Fund of $19.5 million for seven space infrastructure projects across Australia to drive growth in the space industry.

Other projects covered by the fund are:

• Space manufacturing facilities (New South Wales, $2 million) to support the delivery of space manufacturing and objects, and development of new high-tech skills.
• Tracking facilities upgrade (Tasmania, $1.2 million) to support precision tracking of satellites and spacecraft.
• Robotics, automation and AI command and control (Western Australia), $4.5 million) to allow SMEs and researchers control over autonomous missions in space.
• Space data analysis facilities (WA, $1.5 million) to provide SMEs and researchers with space data analysis for a range of industries including agriculture, mining and emergency services.
• Space payload qualification facilities ($2.5 million) for SMEs and researchers to test space equipment to be mission ready.
• Pathway to launch ($0.9 million) undertake work to address the active interest and growing readiness in the space industry for launch in Australia while ensuring safety on Earth and in space.

The Australian government is growing a competitive and sustainable space industry through investment, which will help support the creation of another 20,000 jobs and contribute to tripling the size of the Australian space sector by 2030.

Applications for the Mission Control Centre grant close Tuesday 4 February 202, 5pm AEDT. To find out how to apply click here.