Australia has cancelled a multi-billion dollar military satellite project with Lockheed Martin, with a Department of Defense statement on Monday saying the military will instead shift its focus to a multi-orbit system.
Lockheed Martin Australia was announced as the preferred tenderer last year for the Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO) satellite communications system, in a project that was to deliver Australia’s first sovereign-controlled satellite communication system over the Indo-Pacific ocean regions.
The project for a single orbit satellite with Lockheed Martin had been cancelled, the Department of Defense said in a statement on Monday.
"With the acceleration in space technologies and evolving threats in space since the project’s commencement, Defense has assessed that a single orbit GEO-based satellite communications system would not meet strategic priorities," the statement said.
It said Australia would instead prioritize a multi-orbit capability to increase resilience for the Australian Defense Force.
In a radio interview with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said while Australia's defense budget was increasing, his government was prioritizing its purchases.
When the Lockheed Martin project was announced last year it was said by authorities to be a "multi billion dollar" deal, but in Monday's Defense statement there was no specific value to the cancelled project.
However, Defense said in the statement that it will still allocate A$9-12 billion ($13.87 billion) for space capabilities.
© Thomson Reuters 2024.
17 Comments
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Desert Tortoise
Both the US and Australia should be looking at the technology behind Stratolaunch and their launch platform aircraft called Roc after the mythical bird that could lift an elephant. It seems like it could be way to put satellites in orbit from any available runway instead of needing dedicated launch pads and rockets that would be priority targets of an enemy in the event of a war. Multiple examples of Roc or something very much like Roc (since Roc was a one-off effort never intended to be series produced, so it uses systems cannibalized from 747-400s rather than design and build new components for a single aircraft effort) could be stashed around the nation and moved around constantly if there was a war. When a satellite needed launching the aircraft and satellite could meet at a suitable airfield, launch and then the launch aircraft could fly somewhere else to land.
https://mezha.media/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Stratolaunch_Roc_00.jpg
Desert Tortoise
Btw, Roc can lift a 550,000 lb load. Half a million metric tons.
Azzprin
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550,000 lb / 2.2 = 250,000 kg = 250 Tons
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theFu
Grumman can also launch satellites to LEO, perhaps higher. The specs say 1000 lbs to LEO on their 3-stage Pegasus. Over 100 satellites have already been placed into LEO using Pegasus.
The size of payloads is a common consideration. For communications, using any commercial launch platform in the free world is a viable option. There are lots of providers.
Telstar communications satellites by SS/Loral average around 3400 kg. However, the most recently launched models were over 7000 Kgs, which is well beyond the capabilities of Stratolaunch/Roc.
There are many complexities that aren't really understood outside the satellite business. Thousands of possible orbits depending on the desired coverage, period, communications latency and distance requirements over specific points on Earth. With a single satellite, there are at least 5 countries capable of taking it out, so redundancy is usually a Defense mandate. Next-gen encryption and active blocking of bogus attempted communications needs to be included in all new satellite systems. Laser-based comms is a way to handle some of this requirement.
I can't say whether Australia should or shouldn't have infrastructure for space launches. It depends on their requirements.
Sven Asai
That's a no-brainer as already three are needed for simple positioning triangulation.
Sanjinosebleed
American over priced crap!
better off to build it in Australia!
the_sicilian
Any country reliant on satellite communications should always plan for depth. Meaning, LEO and GEO together can provide layers of protection from adversarial actions. LEO and MEO fly faster and are tougher targets to hit. LEO being stationary but far away is tough but still stationary. Also multiple vehicles for redundancy.
BertieWooster
There you go, Japan. If the Aussies can do it, you can too! How about cancelling the massive arms deal with the U.S.A?
WoodyLee
Ouch, that hurts.
garymalmgren
RE; "With the acceleration in space technologies and evolving threats in space since the project’s commencement, Defense has assessed that a single orbit GEO-based satellite communications system would not meet strategic priorities," the statement said.
It said Australia would instead prioritize a multi-orbit capability to increase resilience for the Australian Defense Force.
Seriously, in the case of a real conflict how difficult would it be to knock out a single orbit GEO-based satellite communications system?
Wouldn't that be the first thing that you would target?
Fos
They have finally realized there are more important social issues to solve, before forking out money to the top American weapons manufacturers and the Wall Street rally.
Kudos for Australia, let us hope more action like these will follow up to bring peace around the world.
kaimycahl
@Sanjinosebleed Ok then you can buy the over priced crap from NK and I hope that the crap works!!! BTW why didn't Australia build it in the first place? 1+1 =What?
American over priced crap!
better off to build it in Australia!
Fos
Australia does not need American arms, the world as a whole don't need American weapons if we want peace and prosperity
Peter Neil
ah yes. more military spending to protect trade routes with china from china.
TaiwanIsNotChina
Do you think someone outside Lockheed Martin noticed?
TaiwanIsNotChina
The countries that are under threat from russia/China do.
InspectorGadget
Makes sense. With the Chinese and Russians having demonstrated that they are capable of bringing down satelites with missiles, why would Australia want to put all of its proverbial 'eggs in one basket'