A LEADING rocket manufacturer, based in Queensland, will become the first in Australia to gain priority access to the Northern Territory's Arnhem Space Centre.
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Black Sky Aerospace's achievement comes one month after the company announced it won approval to build a facility to manufacture rocket fuel in Australia.
The Arnhem Space Centre provides a competitive edge over other large rocket launch complexes in terms of infrastructure and launch costs.
Director Blake Nikolic said priority access to the Arnhem Space Centre would provide his customers with the benefits of launching close to the equator.
His company is based at Jimboomba, south of Brisbane in Qld.
"(Overseas) customers want to come to the Southern Hemisphere to launch," he said.
"They are looking for a geopolitically stable country with a large landmass.
"In the longer term, it allows us to continue developing nation leading rocket technologies that can carry payloads to orbit and beyond, using local expertise and our proven ability to create reliable vehicles."
Equatorial Launch Australia operates the Arnhem Space Centre, near Nhulunbuy, and plans to host NASA's first rocket launch from a non-government owned site.
ELA chief executive officer Carley Scott said the facility was among one of the world's most efficient launch sites.
"We are pleased to provide a launch platform that will significantly enhance the growth opportunities for Black Sky Aerospace as a vehicle of choice here and abroad into the future," Ms Scott said.
"Increasing access to local vehicle manufacturers is an exciting option for the site."
The two companies signed a letter of intent on Friday, October 18, to ensure site planning and development in the Northern Territory considers Black Sky Aerospace's current and future needs, according to customer interest.
Black Sky Aerospace conducted the first commercial payload rocket launch in Australia's only sub-orbital facility in Goondiwindi last year.
- courtesy Jimboomba Times.
