NASA is the first customer of the commercial space base run by Equatorial Launch Australia (ELA). Seventy NASA employees traveled to the remote base for the three launches, the first from Australia since 1995, when rockets were launched from the military’s Woomera Range Complex in the south of the continent.
Michael Jones, CEO of ELA, spoke of a “historic night” for his company. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said this project marks “a new era” for the Australian space sector.
From New Zealand to the Moon
The US space agency has also planned a mission from New Zealand. The CAPSTONE mission consists of a microwave-sized mini-satellite that will be placed in orbit around the moon. The device will be placed in the extremely elliptical orbit that a new small space station, the Gateway, is to follow in a few years. CAPSTONE will test navigation and communication in that orbit.
Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1 is a commercial launch site on New Zealand’s North Island. The Rocket Lab company has been launching satellites into space from the complex since 2018.
