The South Australian Government has announced that the Koonibba Test Range will facilitate another 20 spacecraft returns by 2028 under an agreement between US company Varda and local operator Southern Launch.
The arrangement is expected to see in-space manufacturing capsules return to Earth, including two missions later this year, the government said in a news release.
According to the government, the capsules, launched on SpaceX rideshare missions, are designed to carry payloads such as pharmaceuticals or experiments conducted in microgravity.
It noted that they re-enter Earth’s atmosphere at speeds of more than 30,000 km/h before landing by parachute on South Australia’s west coast.
Premier Peter Malinauskas said the announcement highlighted South Australia’s growing role in the sector.
“To establish South Australia as the first commercial spaceport to accept commercial returns speaks volumes to our reputation as a global leader in this field,” Malinauskas said.
“Southern Launch securing these additional missions with Varda to enable their commercial space return operations reinforces our state’s position as a trusted, strategic location for this capability.”
Minister for Defence and Space Industries Joe Szakacs, who recently met with Varda representatives in California, said the partnership reflected opportunities for local industry. “We want to be at the forefront of innovation and to do that we need to make South Australia an attractive option for emerging industries,” Szakacs said.
“This announcement can be read as an endorsement that the work we’re doing is hitting the mark and that we need to keep at it.”
Southern Launch CEO Lloyd Damp said the additional missions build on previous successes. “This contract is a vote of confidence in our team and our facilities,” Damp said.
“With each successful mission, we’re proving that the Koonibba Test Range is the best place on Earth to bring space technology home.”
Eric Lasker, Chief Revenue Officer at Varda, said the company’s work with Southern Launch was central to its operations.
“Our partnership with Southern Launch is the lynchpin to realizing this new economy, and Varda’s increasing cadence is only possible due to the exceptional quality of work consistently delivered by the Southern Launch team,” Lasker said.
The Koonibba Test Range is operated by Southern Launch in partnership with the Koonibba Community Aboriginal Corporation.
