Space Centre Australia

{{Short description|Spaceport complex}} [[File:Pajinka including Utingu photographed by Ian Cochrane.jpg|thumb|Pajinka, including Utingu, at the northern tip of Cape York Peninsula.|200x200px]] '''Space Centre Australia''' (SCA) is a spaceport complex slated for development across two locations on the [[Cape York Peninsula]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Gibbs |first=Nick |date=2023-04-21 |title=Spaceport slated for Cape York attracts global interest |url=https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/8168054/spaceport-slated-for-cape-york-attracts-global-interest/ |access-date=2023-12-20 |website=The Canberra Times |language=en-AU}}</ref> Small-scale launch missions are expected to use the facility by the end of 2026, with larger operations beginning 2029.<ref name=":0" /> Once complete, its position in Far North Queensland may provide launch access closer to the equator than any other in the Asia Pacific region.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Nicholson |first=Dylan |date=13 November 2023 |title=SCA and NEWA Technologies Group collaborate to build Northern Australia’s security capabilities |work=Gold Coast Bulletin |url=https://www.goldcoastbulletin.com.au/subscribe/news/1/?sourceCode=GCWEB_WRE170_a_GGL&dest=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.goldcoastbulletin.com.au%2Fnews%2Fcairns%2Fsca-and-newa-technologies-group-collaborate-to-build-northern-australias-security-capabilities%2Fnews-story%2Fd94be9c1380bf9cf19112f13d8b9d0be&memtype=anonymous&mode=premium}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{Cite news |last=Carruthers |first=Peter |date=5 October 2023 |title=Space Centre Australia secures 88ha land parcel at Cape York known as Utingu |work=Cairns Post |url=https://www.cairnspost.com.au/subscribe/news/1/?sourceCode=CPWEB_WRE170_a_GGL&dest=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cairnspost.com.au%2Fnews%2Fcairns%2Fspace-centre-australia-secures-88ha-land-parcel-at-cape-york-known-as-utingu%2Fnews-story%2F83717f775c5a8ea86d9d6d89a3e338de&memtype=anonymous&mode=premium}}</ref>

== Location == [[File:SCA PLF Location.jpg|thumb|Location of the Space Centre Australia Primary Launch Facility, Cape York Region, North Queensland, Australia|267x267px]]The north of Cape York Peninsula has been recognised as optimal for rocket launch into space.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Davis |first=Malcolm |date=2023-08-23 |title=Australia’s space future in the north |url=https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/australias-space-future-in-the-north/ |access-date=2023-12-20 |website=The Strategist |language=en-AU}}</ref> It was first canvassed for aerospace launches by the Government of Queensland in the 1980s.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Farr |first=Bronwyn |date=8 July 2021 |title=Space project to create hundreds of Far North jobs |url=https://dsf.newscorpaustralia.com/cairnspost/subscription/ |access-date=2023-12-20 |website=Cairns Post |language=en-AU}}</ref> The peninsula is close to the equator, stretching from [[16th parallel south]] to [[10th parallel south]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Cape York Sustainable Futures |date=August 2010 |title=Inquiry into the Development of Northern Australia |url=https://www.aph.gov.au/DocumentStore.ashx?id=6912928e-76e2-40a1-82b0-98ed2dcc9c32&subId=206699 |website=Australian Parliament House}}</ref> A rocket launched here can take optimum advantage of [[Earth's rotation|earth's rotational speed]], as it will already be moving at a speed of nearly 1650 km per hour relative to Earth's core.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Launch - NASA Science |url=https://science.nasa.gov/learn/basics-of-space-flight/chapter14-1/ |access-date=2023-12-20 |website=science.nasa.gov |language=en}}</ref> This makes launching a payload less expensive for space agencies.<ref name=":1" /> Like all of Australia's far north, the region is sparsely populated, with stable weather patterns, which some analysts regard as "ideal for establishing a sovereign launch capability."<ref name=":1" /> The planned locations are:

* [[Weipa]], 43 kilometres east of the town of Weipa, close to [[RAAF Scherger]].<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Nicholls |first=Matt |title=Race is on to build Cape York spaceport |url=https://capeyorkweekly.com.au/race-is-on-to-build-cape-york-spaceport/2647/ |access-date=2023-12-20 |website=Cape York Weekly |language=en}}</ref> * Utingu, on 88 hectares in Punsand Bay, in an area known as Utingua in [[Bamaga]], 30 kilometres north of [[New Mapoon, Queensland|New Mapoon]].<ref name=":3" />

== Planning and approvals == SCA aims to be Australia's first large-scale, multi-use spaceport; providing North to Easterly [[Low Earth orbit]] (LEO), Northern [[Sun-synchronous orbit]] (SSO), [[Geostationary transfer orbit|Geostationary Transfer Orbit]] (GTO) access to space.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Australian Space Summit to return in May 2023 |url=https://australianaviation.com.au/2022/11/australian-space-summit-to-return-in-may-2023/ |access-date=2023-12-20 |website=Australian Aviation |language=en-AU}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Roberts |first=Peter |date=2023-03-07 |title=Weipa centre joins venture for space launches |url=https://www.aumanufacturing.com.au/weipa-centre-joins-venture-for-space-launches |access-date=2023-12-20 |website=Australian Manufacturing Forum |language=en-AU}}</ref> The project contains four principal development locations:

# Cairns, Queensland Headquarters. # SCA Primary Launch Facility (PLF) located near Weipa, North Queensland. # Northern Tracking and Surveillance Site near Bamaga, North Queensland known as Utingu. # Eastern Tracking and Surveillance Site Near Lockhart River, North Queensland.

For the development of the Weipa PLF site, final approvals will come under Mokwiri Aboriginal Corporation, working with the Coordinator-General's office in the state government.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Nicholls |first=Matt |title=Momentum gathering for space centre project |url=https://capeyorkweekly.com.au/momentum-gathering-for-space-centre-project/1027/ |access-date=2023-12-20 |website=Cape York Weekly |language=en}}</ref> The Utingu and Lockhart River sites are Freehold land and come under the respective local councils the [[Torres Strait Island Region]]<ref name=":3" /> and [[Shire of Cook|Cook Shire Council]].

== Organisation and partnerships == Space Centre Australia is a privately held entity; its CEO James Palmer, comes from a military background.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Nicholls |first=Matt |title=Spaceport project fires up |url=https://capeyorkweekly.com.au/spaceport-project-fires-up/595/ |access-date=2023-12-20 |website=Cape York Weekly |language=en}}</ref> The development of the centre is dependent on the support of traditional owners, the support of political leaders and the interest of global space agencies looking for fresh launch facilities. This appeared to be established during an April 2023 meeting with the [[Australian Space Agency]], delegates from [[NASA]] and the [[American Chamber of Commerce]], along with Federal parliamentarian [[Warren Entsch]] who was reported as saying, "I started as a sceptic and I’m now an absolute disciple.”<ref name=":2" /> Significant partnerships up to 2023 have included:

* UK-Ukrainian company Orbit Boy; to develop an airmobile horizontal rocket launch system as announced by Ukrainian ambassador to Australia, [[Vasyl Myroshnychenko]].<ref>{{Cite news |date=9 March 2023 |title=Space Centre Australia pioneers trailblazing rocket launch |work=The Cairns Post |url=https://www.cairnspost.com.au/business/cairns-business/space-centre-australia-pioneers-trailblazing-rocket-launch-system-in-new-international-partnership/news-story/4c2778a7f8874625dbc4cf66b816876a}}</ref><ref name=":3" /> * NEWA Technologies Group; to develop orbital and ground based space and surveillance technologies.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Nicholson |first=Dylan |date=13 November 2023 |title=SCA and NEWA Technologies Group collaborate to build Northern Australia’s security capabilities |work=The Cairns Post |url=https://www.cairnspost.com.au/subscribe/news/1/?sourceCode=CPWEB_WRE170_a_GGL&dest=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cairnspost.com.au%2Fnews%2Fcairns%2Fsca-and-newa-technologies-group-collaborate-to-build-northern-australias-security-capabilities%2Fnews-story%2Fd94be9c1380bf9cf19112f13d8b9d0be&memtype=anonymous&mode=premium}}</ref> * Gunggandji Aerospace—an Indigenous owned business.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |title=Hansard Display |url=https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Hansard/Hansard_Display?bid=chamber/hansardr/26693/&sid=0209 |access-date=2023-12-20 |website=www.aph.gov.au |language=en-AU}}</ref> * UK Australia Space Bridge.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-05-08 |title=Australia in Space Magazine, Issue 5, AU Edition by MySecurity Marketplace - Issuu |url=https://issuu.com/apsm/docs/australian_space_magazine_issue_5_au |access-date=2023-12-20 |website=issuu.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-03-13 |title=UK – Australia Space Bridge Chases Bigger Role in Defence Space Sector - SPACE & DEFENSE |url=https://spaceanddefense.io/uk-australia-space-bridge-chases-bigger-role-in-defence-space-sector/ |access-date=2023-12-21 |language=en-US}}</ref> Since the signing of the Technology Safeguards Agreement by President Biden and Prime Minister Albanese in October 2023, which provides a legal and technical framework for the handling of sensitive aerospace technology, SCA is reported to have been working with NASA, with a view to US space launches from Australia.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hendry |first=Justin |date=2023-10-26 |title=Australia-US sign space technology treaty |url=https://www.innovationaus.com/australia-us-sign-space-technology-treaty/ |access-date=2023-12-21 |website=InnovationAus.com |language=en-AU}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Nicholson |first=Dylan |date=24 November 2023 |title=Defence expert on how Cairns can become major strategic hub in the Pacific |url=https://dsf.newscorpaustralia.com/cairnspost/subscription/ |access-date=2023-12-21 |website=Cairns Post |language=en-AU}}</ref>

==See also== {{Portal|Australia|Spaceflight}} * [[Launch pad]] * [[Spaceport]], including lists of spaceports that have achieved satellite launches and launches of humans * [[List of launch complexes]] * [[Space industry]] * [[National Space Program]] * [[Australian Space Agency]]

==References== {{Reflist}}

[[Category:Cape York Peninsula]] [[Category:Spaceports in Australia]]