Australian satellite on mission to clean up space junk

Australia’s largest ever spacecraft blasted successfully into orbit in March 2024. The Optimus satellite – built by Space Machines Company – is a 270-kilogram servicing vehicle. Designed and built in Australia, it will help transform the satellite industry. It can monitor and repair ageing satellites and decommission old ones. It also carries payloads from Australia’s space-tech pioneers. These include modules for spectral imaging, domain awareness and space-based artificial intelligence.

Australia’s space industry takes a giant leap forward

Space Machines Company was founded in 2019. Based at the Tech Lab at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS), the company has around 50 employees, including offices in Adelaide and Bangalore. 

The company’s core mission is to make space more sustainable.

‘By 2030, there will be 70,000 satellites at risk of becoming space junk,’ says Sharmila Fernando, Head of Marketing, Space Machines Company. ‘Our spacecraft can refuel, repair, reuse and deorbit old satellites. Our mission at Space Machines Company will be to provide a satellite roadside assistance network to fix failures in orbit.’

The company’s first satellite – Optimus – is an orbital servicing vehicle. Its function is to monitor and maintain other satellites.

According to Fernando, the ability to service satellites is a revolution in the space industry.

‘Optimus is the first Australian commercial satellite equipped to deliver life-extension services,’ she says. ‘It can conduct inspections and deliver on-orbit assistance to existing space infrastructure and satellites.

‘Space Machines Company is very proud of what we’ve achieved. Optimus marks the dawn of a new age in space sustainability for Australia.’

Successful satellite launch on SpaceX rocket

The Optimus satellite was launched from the Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. It was carried a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, with 53 other spacecraft.

The Optimus OSV will first manoeuvre into its orbital slot. Then it will commence a testing program for each of its payloads.

The CEO of Space Machines Company, Rajat Kulshrestha, predicts the OSV could transform the economics of space infrastructure.

‘The successful launch of Optimus opens up new possibilities for how satellites are launched and operated,’ he says. ‘Optimus enables us to provide services to extend satellite lifetimes … and sustainably scale space activities.’