Saber Astronautics wins $6.6m Defence Innovation Hub contract

Sydney based Saber Astronautics has been awarded a $6.6 million Defence Innovation Hub contract to transform existing space telescopes into space traffic sensors, contributing to Space Domain Awareness (SDA).

Following an initial $2.1m million Defence Innovation Hub contract in 2019 this contract continues through to the third phase of development, applying advanced algorithms to combine data from multiple different suppliers such as dedicated radars and telescopes.

Leveraging Saber’s heritage in artificial intelligence and machine learning, the contract means Saber will be able to identify and track space objects in real-time, more accurately and effectively than ever before.

“The ability to repurpose existing space telescopes for space traffic management represents a significant leap forward in our efforts to improve space situational awareness and safety,” said Dr Jason Held, CEO of Saber Astronautics. “We are also excited to bring this technology to the public, so anyone with a telescope using our software can also have a go at tracking objects in space themselves.”

Developed by Saber Astronautics in Australia (the company also has a base in Boulder, Colorado), the project benefits from the company’s expertise in space traffic management, exemplified by its Responsive Space Operations Centre (RSOC) in Adelaide. This contract is a part of a broader initiative to improve space situational awareness and safety of flight and the company is scheduled to deliver in August 2025.

Initial research used hobby-grade telescopes to demonstrate that fusion of data from multiple small sensors can accurately refine a satellite’s position. The upcoming phase enables further integration with Saber’s mission control and cloud deployment systems, meaning they can draw from more sensors and more data. This phase will also include the first live operational trials at the RSOC in 2024.  The RSOC leads the Pacific region as a centre of excellence in SDA in partnership with multinational allies.