Supporter Spotlight: Southern Launch
Source: Southern Launch
Southern Launch is a proud supporter of the GRAVITY Challenge. Determined to support innovation in the space industry, Southern Launch are excited to be a part of a program that pushes the boundaries to create solutions to real-life problems here on earth. We spoke with Southern Launch to learn more about how they’re contributing to the Space industry.
What is Southern Launch and what do you do?
Southern Launch is a launch service provider, headquartered in Adelaide, South Australia. Our offering includes the Whalers Way Orbital Launch Complex, and the Koonibba Test Range, our suborbital testing facility.
Our team of leading engineers, project managers and lawyers have developed a full-service continuum catering to the key needs of rocket manufacturers and their payload customers.
Our service includes the five key pillars of launch, including,
· Orbital launch: providing safe and rapid access to polar and sun synchronous orbits for rockets and payloads
· Suborbital launch: to safely test and recover rocket technologies while protecting the natural environment
· Mission and campaign design, including rocket propulsion testing and safety analysis services
· Rocket design and avionics hardware consulting
· Securing technology transfer, launch licensing, and launch insurance
Why is Southern Launch involved with the Gravity Challenge?
Southern Launch decided to be a part of the Gravity Challenge as we want to support our industry and the next generation of the space work force. As the industry evolves, we are coming up against more complex issues, by promoting innovation, as well as competition for ideas, we push the boundaries to discover solutions. Ultimately allowing us to achieve the united goal of space exploration and improving lives on earth.
How is Southern Launch contributing to the space economy?
Southern Launch’s goal is to be performing orbital launches from our Whalers Way Orbital Launch Complex. Within the next decade our goal is to be performing up to 36 launches per year. To see launch to completion, Australia would have the sovereign space capability to provide the full supply chain, including manufacturing of rocket and satellites. Southern Launch would then provide the platform to launch those rockets and satellites into space.
What’s the next big thing in the pipeline for Southern Launch?
As of March 2021, we received our space launch facility licence from the Australian Space Agency for the Koonibba Test Range, our suborbital location. We are currently in the process of planning suborbital launches from Koonibba, noting that we have signed multiple contracts that foresee launches from the facility later this year.
We have submitted our documentation for the launch licence application for our Whalers Way Orbital Launch Complex. Once we have received the licence to launch into space, we will have an incremental approach in demonstrating safe launches from this location.