22.09.2024

Sirius Space Services has entered into a significant multi-year launch contract with Equatorial Launch Australia (ELA). The agreement, announced during the World Space Business Week conference in Paris, secures Sirius as a 'Resident Launcher' at the Arnhem Space Centre (ASC) beginning in 2025.

Sirius will operate from their own Space Launch Complex (SLC) at ASC under the 'full service' package provided by ELA, which includes comprehensive launch and mission support services. Sirius' launch campaign will kick off in 2026 with the development and test flights of their SIRIUS 1 rocket, followed by larger-scale launches of the SIRIUS 13, capable of carrying up to 800kg of payload, in 2027.

Sirius chose ASC for its flexibility in accessing various orbits, such as low, medium, sun-synchronous, and equatorial orbits, as well as for ELA's robust service offering. These features were key factors in Sirius' decision to partner with ELA.

"I'm delighted and excited to announce this contract with Sirius Space Services today," said ELA Group CEO Michael Jones. "Sirius will be our second resident launcher at Arnhem Space Centre, utilizing our advanced spaceport capabilities. They will benefit from our full range of launch solutions and exceptional support services, enhancing their mission effectiveness and commercial success."

Sirius, aiming to scale up to as many as 18 launches per year, designs and builds launch vehicles to meet the needs of the commercial space market. ELA's offering of unique orbital access, extensive support services, and specialized infrastructure, such as a sealed runway and a deepwater port, played a decisive role in the collaboration.

"It was key for Sirius to have the ability to access unique orbit options to service their clients and we are probably the only place on the planet that could provide access to these orbits, the support level required, and access to the scope of launch services in the timeframe required," added Jones.

"We absolutely love working with Sirius who we believe are amongst the most mature and advanced launch service providers we work with. We first visited Antoine Fourcade, Co-founder and CEO, and Francois Maroquene-Froissart Co-founder and CTO in their offices in La Defence (Paris) nearly three years ago. We have visited numerous times, and they have joined us in Adelaide and at the ASC. We really like their whole team," Jones said.

Sirius will operate from Space Launch Complex No. 3 (SLC3), known as 'Le Mans,' which will feature a dedicated Horizontal Integration Facility (HIF) with a vertical payload integration clean room. SLC3 will also have two Advanced Launch Pads, with one fully developed to handle Sirius' fleet, including the SIRIUS 1, SIRIUS 13, and future SIRIUS 15 rockets.

Under the agreement, ELA will collaborate on the design, manufacturing, and integration of essential launch systems, while also providing critical services for launch and mission operations. These will include equipment for clamping and support, propellant delivery, mission control, logistics, and accommodation for personnel.

"When you combine the list of services and equipment offered with physical attributes of the spaceport including: minimal jet stream and stable upper atmosphere, low maritime and air traffic and all the attendant infrastructure assets in our area such as a sealed B737 capable runway and airport within 15 kms, deepwater port, weather monitoring facilities, hospital and no population within 30 kms, it's quite compelling. When added to the most important element - the access to more orbital inclinations for Earth Observation, Communication/IOT and Defence applications - the ASC can almost be considered a 'designer spaceport'," said Jones.

Sirius is pushing the boundaries of the small launch market with its agile and cost-effective launch solutions. "Sirius is bringing innovation into the small launch market by developing a range of agile and affordable and flexible launch solutions. They are an extremely impressive rocket company. The rate of progress during each of our visits to their premises in the past few years has been remarkable and their vision for sustainable and reusable space systems is world leading," Jones said.

This partnership is ELA's second 'Resident Launcher' contract, underscoring the company's growing reputation in the space industry. In addition to Sirius and Innospace, several more launch companies are expected to finalize deals with ELA soon.

Jones noted, "We are negotiating with several other companies for our resident launch contracts. Our comprehensive service offering is proving very attractive, and we anticipate additional announcements in the near future."

In addition to its dedicated resident launch complexes, ELA has expanded its facilities to include multi-user launch pads for suborbital and one-time launches. Jones emphasized that these contracts reinforce ASC's position as a leading global commercial spaceport.

Francois Maroquene-Froissart, Co-founder and CTO of Sirius Space Services, added, "ELA's advanced spaceport, coupled with their commitment to operational excellence and safety, makes them an ideal partner as we continue to develop agile and competitive launch solutions for our global customers."

Quelle: SD