Pictured: Inovor Technologies Project Manager Tina Dsouza and Embedded Software Engineer Raf Iacobelli.
South Australian company Inovor Technologies is one step closer to launching into the global space market, thanks to an Australian Government grant that will enable the company to enhance its satellite manufacturing capabilities.
The local company, which designs, builds and manufactures Australian-owned satellite technologies from Lot Fourteen, was awarded $750,000 through round three of the government’s Moon to Mars Supply Chain Capability Improvement grants.
Dr Matthew Tetlow, CEO and Founder of Inovor Technologies says the funding will assist the firm to deliver rapid, high-reliability and cost competitive satellite manufacturing capability in Australia, enabling the company to break into international supply chains in the future.
“We’re really excited to get this support from the Australian Space Agency. This will really help us accelerate our satellite development program to rapidly produce reliable satellites at volume for the global market,” he said.
Inovor Technologies is among four high-growth Australian space start-ups to share a total of $3 million through the latest round of grants, which aim to improve the technical capabilities of space companies and help them enter new national and international markets.
Acting Minister for Industry, Science and Technology Angus Taylor said the grants will strengthen Australia’s space manufacturing base, while also boosting the economy and creating new high-skilled jobs.
“The space sector is one of our six National Manufacturing Priorities and these grants directly contribute to building the skills and capabilities of Australian space businesses so they can scale up their operations and become competitive in global markets,” Minister Taylor said.
“The grants also provide a tangible opportunity for Australian businesses to support the transformation of our space industry and contribute to projects that will support NASA’s Moon to Mars program.”
Head of the Australian Space Agency Enrico Palermo said these projects again demonstrate the incredible opportunities that are present at the intersection of space and manufacturing.
“Space and manufacturing go hand-in-hand and these projects are leveraging that relationship to drive economic growth and create jobs here in Australia,” Mr Palermo said.
The $150 million Moon to Mars initiative is part of over $700 million invested by the government into the Australian civil space sector since 2018 to support the goal of tripling the sector’s size to $12 billion and creating up to an extra 20,000 jobs by 2030.
