SmartSat Cooperative Research Centre, in partnership with the South Australian government, are set to launch Australia’s first space satellite. The small communications and data collection unit is expected to improve services like emergency management, environment and water quality monitoring as well as helping to reduce bushfire impact.

Premier Steven Marshall said “South Australia is embarking on a bold mission with industry to design and build a satellite to deliver space-derived services to the state, a venture never undertaken before by any state government.”The size of a cereal box,  the satellite is expected to be ready for launch by around mid 2022.

Professor Andy Koronios, Chief Executive of SmartSat CRC, told the Two Murrays the satellite will orbit at approximately 500km above the earth, and will have a number of data harvesting capabilities.

Download this podcast here