Ananth Technologies will help transport the spacecraft to its launch site on Earth, while Digantara will provide a payload that will help it navigate in orbit.
The twin deals were announced on Wednesday at the Bengaluru Space Expo (BSX) 2024 in Bengaluru, India.
Enrico Palermo, head of the Australian Space Agency, hailed the signings as another step towards strengthening the two countries’ space relationship.
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“Australia and India are both innovative in how we approach space, producing fresh technologies and investing in inventive missions that deliver outcomes that improve life here on Earth,” he said.
Space Machines Company’s spacecraft are designed to offer a taxi-style service in orbit, physically moving other satellites to new positions when they get into trouble.
It’s hoped the technology could both reduce space debris and extend the life of other spacecraft that would otherwise be forced to shut down.
The company is gearing up to launch its second Optimus spacecraft in 2026 with Indian launch firm NewSpace India as part of its MAITRI mission (or Mission for Australia-India’s Technology, Research and Innovation).
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The new announcement means Ananth Technologies will provide engineering and logistics support before the blast-off, including the transportation and handling of all spacecraft components in India and extensive testing in its cleanroom facilities in Bengaluru.
Digantara, meanwhile, will integrate its short-range electro-optical payload onto Optimus, which will allow it to safely track the failed satellites it hopes to fix in orbit.
Australian high commissioner to India, Philip Green, said the latest partnership agreements underscore Australia’s growing strategic partnership with India.
“The relationship between Australia and India’s space industries is growing in a way not experienced before,” he said.
“It’s incredibly exciting to see the Space MAITRI mission fulfil its purpose of bringing industry-leading companies, partners and technologies from across Australia and India together.
“By working as a collective, we’re both strengthening our bilateral relationship and pioneering new frontiers in international space cooperation.”
The Space MAITRI mission involves several Australian companies and has been backed by an $8.5 million federal grant.
It’s the latest agreement between the two nations, and it comes as Australia prepares to host the global IAC conference in Sydney next year.
In February, for example, the Space Industry Association of Australia signed an MOU with its Indian equivalent to increase collaboration between the two countries’ space sectors.
The deal specifically addresses challenges, including managing space debris, advancing satellite technology and aiding integration with defence.
The MOU with the SatCom Industry Association-India was signed by senior figures attending this year’s DefSAT 2024 conference in New Delhi.
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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