CUAVA-2, Kanyini and Waratah Seed will lift off from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California when the launch window opens at 11:20 am on 16 August local time (4:20 am AEST on 17 August).
A live webcast of this mission will begin about 10 minutes prior to liftoff, which you can watch here and on X @SpaceX.
The Waratah Seed Space Qualification Mission is a NSW government-funded space-flight qualification initiative delivered by the University of Sydney. It is carrying tech from five competition-winning NSW space start-ups as well as technology from commercial clients.
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Kanyini, meanwhile, is SA’s bushfire-detecting satellite, a collaboration between the South Australia state government, SmartSat CRC, satellite manufacturer Inovor Technologies, and global IoT provider Myriota.
Its payload will include a hyperspectral imager – a device that analyses the composition of materials on Earth from space. It will be used to detect information beyond the visible eye, including analysing vegetation and soil to a granular degree and detecting bushfire smoke.
Finally, CUAVA-2 is the second iteration of the CUAVA organisation’s CubeSat program. CUAVA, as an organisation, is the Australian Research Council’s training centre for CubeSats, uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs) and their applications.
Like Kanyini, CUAVA-2 will carry a hyperspectral imager developed by the Space Photonics Group at Sydney University as well as a GPS reflectometry payload developed by the Australian Centre for Space Engineering Research at the UNSW.
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“This mission, and the payloads developed by these businesses, are testament to the innovative spirit and technical expertise that defines the Australian space industry,” said the NSW state government.
“Achieving this milestone is a cause for great celebration. The tireless efforts, the challenges overcome, and the breakthroughs achieved have all contributed to the remarkable progress of our industry.
“Congratulations to all the dedicated teams and individuals whose continued hard work has made these missions possible. Your achievements underscore the exceptional prowess of the Australian space sector and highlight its potential for future growth.
“The trials and triumphs experienced along the way are achievements in themselves, demonstrating the strength and resilience of our industry.”
Transporter-11 will be the 12th flight for the first-stage booster supporting this mission, which previously launched SDA-0A, SARah-2, and nine Starlink missions. Following stage separation, Falcon 9 will land on Landing Zone 4 (LZ-4) at Vandenberg Space Force Base.
There will be 116 payloads on the flight, including CubeSats, MicroSats, and an orbital transfer vehicle carrying eight of those payloads, five of which will be deployed at a later time.
Adam Thorn
Adam is a journalist who has worked for more than 40 prestigious media brands in the UK and Australia. Since 2005, his varied career has included stints as a reporter, copy editor, feature writer and editor for publications as diverse as Fleet Street newspaper The Sunday Times, fashion bible Jones, media and marketing website Mumbrella as well as lifestyle magazines such as GQ, Woman’s Weekly, Men’s Health and Loaded. He joined Momentum Media in early 2020 and currently writes for Australian Aviation and World of Aviation.
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