NASA will launch three rockets from northern Australia for scientific research within the next few weeks, authorities disclosed Wednesday.
The upcoming launch marks the first time NASA will deploy rockets from a commercial site outside the United States.
The contract to launch three scientific research rockets for NASA was first announced in 2019, with an anticipated launch date of 2020. However, the launch date was pushed back because of the pandemic.
If all goes according to plan, ELA will also launch Australia's first commercial rocket from home soil at the Arnhem Space Center (ASC), located on the Dhupuma Plateau near Nhulunbuy.
After the three rocket launches, ELA aims to conduct over 50 per year by 2024 and 2025, compared to Southern Launch's goal of approximately 36 per year.
As part of NASA's Sounding Rockets Program (SRP), sub-orbital rockets will launch from a launchpad in Arnhem Land carrying research payloads into space.
During their brief time in sub-orbital space - between five and 20 minutes - the rockets will undertake engineering testing and astrophysical research.
During his visit to Darwin on Wednesday, newly elected Prime Minister Anthony Albanese made an official announcement of the launch.
Prime Minister Albanese revealed that the rockets will fly 250 kilometers north in order to collect information on the physics of the sun and its relationship to the Earth.
"This is a very exciting endeavor. This is not just about the rocket launch, but also about sending a message to younger Australians and Australians of any age who may be considering retraining for future jobs about the significance of science," Albanese said.
Philip Citowicki, executive officer of the Space Industry Association of Australia and Non-Resident Fellow at the Pacific Forum, told Space Connect that the Prime Minister's remarks "illustrate the gravity" with which the government is approaching the launch.
After a two-year examination by the Australian Space Agency, the firm was just issued its launch facility license and launch permit for the NASA campaign, ELA stated.
The launch facility would initially include three launch pads for sub-orbital and small orbital satellite spacecraft.
Space Connect reported earlier this week that ELA is preparing to receive more than 70 NASA personnel traveling from the space headquarters' Wallops Flight Facility to assist the launches.
In October of 2012, the NT Labor government said it will co-invest $5 million in the sounding rocket launch alongside private investors such as Blackfyre Holding and Paspalis Innovation Investment Fund.
