Tuesday / 21 March 2023

Australia / International Space Companies to Develop 2 Rover Prototypes for Moon to Mars Trailblazer Initiative

Launching to Moon NET 2026, Trailblazer rover program supported by commerce-centered Australian Space Agency with Stage 1 awards of AU$5M (US$2.7) to 2 industry consortia: AROSE led by Fugro (NL) / Nova Systems (AU) and group led by EPE (AU) / Lunar Outpost Oceania, subsidiary of Lunar Outpost (USA) with support from CO School of Mines, Saber Astronautics (AU); Coinciding with the announcement, NASA Administrator Nelson and Deputy Melroy tour Australia this week with stops at ASA HQ in Adelaide, Parliament House & National Press Club 23 March

Pictured: L-R: EPE Director Ben Sorensen, ASA Head Enrico Palermo, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson, NASA Deputy Director Pamela Melroy, ASA Chair Megan Clark, ASA CTO Aude Vignelles, Lunar Outpost CEO Justin Cyrus Credits: EPE

Tuesday / 4 Oct 2022

Swedish Space Corporation (SSC) Bolstering Global Ground Station Network Ahead of Lunar Mission Demands

Ka-band (26 GHz) deep space communication facilities in Chile and Australia to be added to SSC 10-station grid including Esrange (Sweden, 68°N), Inuvik (Canada, 68°N) Siracha (Thailand, 13°N), Clewiston (Florida, 26°N) South Point ‘Pete Conrad’ Ground Station (Hawaiʻi, 19°N), WASC (Australia, 29°S) and Santiago (Chile, 33°S); SSC to provide service for CLPS providers Astrobotic and Firefly during upcoming Peregrine (NET Q4 2022) and Blue Ghost (NET 2024) landing missions; SSC partnering with CNES, Safran Data Systems of France on new antenna systems and support

Pictured: SSC CEO Stefan Gardefjord, CNES Director of Strategy Jean-Marc Astorg; Credits: SSC, Twitter

Friday / 25 May 2018

Blue Origin Invites Australia To Discuss Its Role In Moon Missions, Space Tourism

Blue Origin Commercial Director Ted McFarland Says CEO Jeff Bezos To Announce Lunar Mission Plans At 69th IAC And Hopes Australia Will Be A Collaborator; Newly Established Australia Space Agency (8 May) Budgets US$26M Over Next 4 Years With Additional $15M To Invest In Specific Projects; Australia Open Land Mass, Eagerness To Boost Economy & Invest In Space Could Be Ideal For New Shepard Space Tourism & Blue Moon / Moon Base Advances; Equatorial Launch Australia Hopes To Build 1st Commercial Spaceport Near Nhulunbuy, Northern Territory

Credits: Blue Origin, Australia Government Dept. of Industry, NASA