NASA will launch a trio of rockets from the Northern Territory beginning in late June, the first mission that the major space agency left a commercial facility outside the United States and the first in Australia this century.
The three rockets will carry instruments that will be used to conduct research on topics such as how a star’s light influences whether a planet can sustain life from a perspective available only in the southern hemisphere.
The Arnhem Space Center, where NASA will launch three rockets starting this month. Credit: Equatorial Launch Australia
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese praised the launch as a “new era” in the Australian space industry, which dates back to the 1950s and includes work on the first moon landing in 1969.
“This project will bring together the global and local industry to take Australia’s space industry into a new era,” Albanese said.
Science and Industry Minister Ed Husic noted the depth of the project’s collaboration with the United States. “The space strengthens our economy, including regional areas, and creates jobs through a wide range of skills,” Husic said.
About 75 NASA personnel will be in Australia for the launch, which will begin on June 26 from the Arnhem Space Center, near the northeastern end of Arnhem Land, which is owned and operated by a company called Equatorial. Launch Australia. NASA’s first client and chief executive, Michael Jones, said the launch would allow the company to demonstrate its capabilities.
NASA has partnered with companies like Elon Musk’s SpaceX on flights.
Local indigenous landowners, the Gumatj village, were consulted as part of the launch approval process.
Thomas Zurbuchen, associate director of NASA’s Mission for Science Mission, said the launch could lead to additional collaboration. “This range of commercial launches in Australia opens up new access to the night sky of the southern hemisphere, expanding the possibilities for future science missions,” Zurbuchen said.