Communications systems company AVI has become the first WA business to export its product to space, hitching a ride on the latest SpaceX rocket destined for the International Space Station.
The Myaree-based company sent its S-band transmitter aboard the locally-built Binar 2, 3 and 4 CubeSat satellites – developed and built in WA by Curtin Universities Binar space program.
The CubeSats launched from Kennedy Space Centre in Florida, carried onboard a SpaceX rocket heading for the ISS as part of a resupply mission.
The Binar CubeSats were also carrying instruments from Australia’s national science agency the CSIRO.
The launching of Binar-2, 3 and 4 come after Binar-1 became the first WA satellite to enter orbit around Earth in 2021.
The CubeSats will take around 24 hours to reach the ISS and will be released into low earth orbit within a few weeks.
They will then orbit earth approximately every 90 minutes for 6-12 months, at a height of 400km above the planet’s surface.
Science Minister Stephen Dawson said it was a “giant leap” for WA’s space industry.
“This is a milestone achievement with three satellites successfully taking off on a SpaceX rocket last night, carrying instrumentation from a Perth based business,” he said.
“This is the first time locally built goods have been sent into space.
“This latest launch is further proof of our government’s commitment to grow our local space industry as we position the state to become a major player on the international stage.”
AVI specialises in designing, developing and building specialised communications solutions for harsh, remote and critical environments. It has a multi-disciplinarian engineering team with specialist defence, commercial and mining experience to provide turnkey technology solutions for clients.
Founded in 1989 and led by Tony Routledge, AVI has branch offices in Adelaide, Brisbane, Canberra, Sydney, Melbourne and Wellington, New Zealand.
They were one of eight WA-based defence businesses which accompanied Defence Industry Minister Paul Papalia to London in September last year to showcase their products at the Defence and Security Equipment International exhibition.
