A DART rocket carrying a Royal Australian Air Force payload was launched from Koonibba Rocket Range in South Australia on 19 September. Credit: Sean Jorgensen-Day, DEWC Systems Engineer.

The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) has launched a DART rocket with a first space payload from Koonibba Rocket Range in South Australia.

This marks the launch of the first commercial rocket to space from Australia.

Go deeper with GlobalData

Premium Insights

The gold standard of business intelligence.

Find out more

Related Company Profiles

View all

The DART is 3.4m-long and weighs 34kg. It is said to be a fraction of the size of Nasa and SpaceX rockets.

The Government of Australia has planned to invest A$7bn over the next ten years to boost space capabilities as part of the 2020 Defence Strategic Update and Force Structure Plan.

Australia Defence Minister Linda Reynolds said: “The rocket will carry a prototype radio frequency receiver unit designed for airforce.

“The payload, carried on a DART rocket, provides a stepping stone for airforce to explore how advanced rapidly deployable networked sensors can be employed to provide information across defence networks.

How well do you really know your competitors?

Access the most comprehensive Company Profiles on the market, powered by GlobalData. Save hours of research. Gain competitive edge.

Company Profile – free sample

Thank you!

Your download email will arrive shortly

Not ready to buy yet? Download a free sample

We are confident about the unique quality of our Company Profiles. However, we want you to make the most beneficial decision for your business, so we offer a free sample that you can download by submitting the below form

By GlobalData
Visit our Privacy Policy for more information about our services, how we may use, process and share your personal data, including information of your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications. Our services are intended for corporate subscribers and you warrant that the email address submitted is your corporate email address.

“Airforce’s Plan Jericho has sponsored this prototype, developed by DEWC Systems, and marks an exciting future for Australia’s space capability.”

Australian Defence Industry Minister Melissa Price said the launch of the DART rocket demonstrates the opportunities for commercial and government applications.

The rocket launch is a part of the RAAF Plan Jericho advanced sensing programme aimed at detecting and tracking challenging targets. It also includes the launch of high-altitude balloons.

Price said: “Airforce’s advanced sensing capability is being enhanced by working with leading Australian industry partners, Southern Launch, DEWC Systems, and Dutch company, T-Minus Engineering.”

Last month, Earth Observant (EOI) secured a US Air Force (USAF) contract under the Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) programme for the development of a very low Earth orbit (VLEO) optical payload.