Australian government backs three space projects

The Australian Department of Industry, Science Energy and Resources (DISER) has awarded grants worth more than $1.2 million to three projects under the fourth round of the Moon to Mars Supply Chain Capability Improvement Grants program.

One of them is the Space Mission Analytics Toolkit, developed by Industrial Sciences Group to make space missions quicker, cheaper, more accurate and safer. The company will receive $442,320 to further develop the toolkit which is already earmarked for use by contractors on upcoming NASA lunar missions.

The toolkit includes software that helps space companies simulate missions so they can fine-tune their designs before investing in costly space hardware. Once a mission launches, the toolkit can also monitor and analyse tracking data to support orbit determination.

Minister for Science and Technology Melissa Price said the Government was backing small and medium sized businesses as part of the mission to triple the space sector’s size to $12 billion and create up to 20,000 new jobs by 2030.

“We’re supporting the Australian space industry to grow its capacity to compete in a global market and become part of future missions, including NASA’s endeavours to return to the Moon and go on to Mars,” Minister Price said.

The other two companies receiving a Supply Chain Capability Improvement Grant are:

Infinity Avionics (ACT), which has received $456,323 to develop a modular imaging unit for space applications.

Blueprint Lab (NSW), which has received $317,844 to transfer its advanced robotic manipulator technology into the space domain.

The $150 million Moon to Mars initiative is part of more than $800 million invested by the Australian Government into the civil space sector since 2018. The Moon to Mars Supply Chain Capability Improvement program offers grants of between $250,000 and $1 million, with applications open until 1 May 2023.

To apply for a grant and for more information, visit business.gov.au