Adam Gilmour, one of the sector’s most high-profile figures, said that using the planned geostationary satellite was “dangerous” and agreed adversaries could potentially destroy them.
“Low-Earth orbit and medium Earth orbit with a lot of sats are harder to knock out all at once, and tactically responsive space launch can replenish quickly,” he wrote on LinkedIn.
“I hope my company will be part of the solution for my country. Richard Marles made the right decision.”
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Space Connect reported last week how the government would sensationally axe the “JP 9102” project to deliver a new military satellite communications capability for Australia.
In a statement released shortly after the news broke, the federal government said the planned single-orbit GEO-based system would not “meet strategic priorities”.
It added Defence would instead prioritise “a multi-orbit capability” and that its current SATCOM capabilities already supported Australia’s immediate needs.
Explaining the decision, Defence Secretary Richard Marles said Australia needs to deliver communications capability that is more “distributed” and “resilient”.
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“We believe we can do that in this way faster and more cost-effective. So, this is frankly moving with the times and making sure that we have the capability that we need which meets the threats and the opportunities that we have in the future.”
Responding to Adam Gilmour’s comments, former LeoLab managing director Terry van Haren appeared to criticise the late timing of the decision.
“It would have been a great call about 3–4 years ago when the US formed the Space Development Agency and started the proliferated LEO program,” he wrote.
“We should have joined straight away and sought Australian industry involvement. Now that the program is well formed and US companies are fully engaged, it is going to be very difficult for the Australian industry to get involved. Reality bites hard.”
JP 9102 was only signed off just 18 months ago, with prime contractor Lockheed Martin beating big hitters, including Boeing, Northrop Grumman Australia, and Optus to become the “preferred tenderer”.
However, it’s unknown whether Lockheed formally had the final contract signed after it entered the last stages of negotiation.
If approved, JP 9102 would have created more than 200 direct jobs, while Lockheed Martin itself pressed ahead with making key appointments for its staff to oversee it.
Space Industry Association chairman Jeremy Hallett said days after the decision was made that companies would likely think twice about working with Defence.
He said he believes companies will now think twice about working with Defence after the cancellation of the $3 billion JP9102 project was confirmed.
Hallett predicted there would be job losses as a result and lamented the time lost by companies who worked on the proposals since 2017.
“While other OECD nations see sovereign space capability as critical to creating high-tech, high-value jobs and a military advantage, in our own backyard we seem to be doing the exact opposite,” he said.
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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