The following table lists decisions under the Space (Launches and Returns) Act 2018 to grant, vary, revoke, suspend or transfer a:
- Australian launch permit.
- Launch facility licence.
- Return authorisation.
- Overseas payload permit.
List of all decisions
| Application type | Applicant organisation |
General description of the proposal | Notice of minister decision | Date of minister decision |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Return authorisation (overseas payload) |
Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) | The payload to be returned from the International Space Station (ISS) is the MRS Astrobee payload, which was launched to the ISS to perform experiments to support internal 3D scanning of the vehicle for logistics purposes. | Given | 18/12/2025 |
| Return authorisation | Varda Space Industries, Inc | A series of three returns of Varda Space Industries’ Winnebago capsules to Koonibba Test Range, South Australia. | Given | 17/12/2025 |
| Overseas payload permit | Lunaria One Pty Ltd | ALEPH-1 is a biological experiment that will test the survivability and growth of plants in space and on the lunar surface (within a capsule). | Granted | 12/12/2025 |
|
Australian high power rocket permit |
AT Space Pty Ltd |
Suborbital test launch of the A01 rocket from the Koonibba Test Range in South Australia. |
Granted |
07/11/2025 |
|
Return authorisation (variation) |
Southern Launch Space Pty Ltd |
A series of three returns of Varda Space Industries’ Winnebago capsules to Koonibba Test Range, South Australia. |
Given |
03/11/2025 |
| Overseas Payload Permit (variation) | EchoStar Global Australia Pty Ltd | The satellites will support narrowband Mobile Satellite Services (MSS), including Internet of Things (IoT) applications while communicating with user terminals on the ground. | Granted | 02/06/2025 |
| Overseas Payload Permit | Gilmour Space Technologies Pty Ltd | The Multi Mission Satellite 1 (MMS-1) will demonstrate the sovereign capability to design, build and deliver a satellite platform. The spacecraft will also utilise a hosted hyperspectral imager payload developed by the CSIRO for Earth Observation. | Granted | 28/04/2025 |
| Overseas Payload Permit | Akula Tech Pty Ltd | The Espresso and Nexus-01 payload work together to achieve data pre-processing and artificial model inferencing in space using hyperspectral imaging technology. The payload will be hosted on Dhruva Space’s first commercial satellite LEAP-1. | Granted | 15/04/2025 |
| Overseas Payload Permit | Valiant Space Pty Ltd | The payload is a CubeSat propulsion demonstrator, with 3 propulsion systems integrated into the host satellite the D-ORBIT ION satellite. | Granted | 15/04/2025 |
| Overseas Payload Permit | Skykraft Pty Ltd | The Skykraft-4 constellation spacecraft are technology demonstrators and pathfinders for the roll-out of a space-based Air Traffic Management constellation. The spacecraft will demonstrate ADS-B and VHF capabilities from space. | Granted | 14/03/2025 |
| Australian launch permit | Gilmour Space Technologies Pty Ltd | Orbital launch of the Eris Block 1 launch vehicle (TestFlight1/MSN001) from Bowen Orbital Spaceport, Queensland. | Granted | 4/11/2024 |
| Return Authorisation |
Southern Launch |
A series of three returns of Varda Space Industries’ Winnebago capsules to Koonibba Test Range, South Australia. | Given | 16/10/2024 |
| Overseas Payload Permit | Optus C1 Satellite Pty Ltd | The ADS-01 geostationary communications satellite will conduct in band testing on behalf of the Australian Defence Force. | Granted | 10/09/2024 |
| Overseas Payload Permit | EchoStar Global Australia Pty Ltd | The satellites will support narrowband Mobile Satellite Services (MSS), including Internet of Things (IoT) applications while communicating with user terminals on the ground. | Granted | 10/09/2024 |
| Overseas Payload Permit | Robinson Aerospace Systems Pty Ltd | The payload to be launched is the RASCube-1, a small platform for operating student experiments, which is to be hosted within The Exploration Company’s Nyx Capsule. The RASCube-1 will operate two student led experiments | Granted | 21/08/2024 |
|
Return Authorisation (Overseas Payload) |
Robinson Aerospace Systems Pty Ltd | The payload to be returned, returning within The Exploration Company’s Nyx Capsule is the RASCube-1, a small platform for operating student experiments. | Given | 21/08/2024 |
| Overseas Payload Permit | Swinburne University of Technology | The payload to be launched to the International Space Station is a research project designed to provide educational outcomes for the participants of the Swinburne Youth Science Innovation Challenge 2024 program. | Granted | 17/06/2024 |
| Return Authorisation (Overseas Payload) | Swinburne University of Technology | The payload to be returned from the International Space Station is a research project designed to provide educational outcomes for the participants of the Swinburne Youth Science Innovation Challenge 2024 program. | Given | 17/06/2024 |
| Australian high power rocket permit |
HyImpulse Technologies GmbH |
Launch of the SR75-1 rocket not beyond the distance of 100km above mean sea level from the Koonibba Test Range in South Australia. |
Granted | 01/05/24 |
| Overseas Payload Permit | Myriota Pty Ltd |
Kanyini is an Australian manufactured CubeSat that will carry an Internet of Things payload with custom software for communication purposes and an electro-optic sensor for Earth observation. |
Granted | 22/04/24 |
| Overseas Payload Permit | University of Sydney |
CUAVA-2 will conduct science research using instruments carried on-board. |
Granted |
26/03/2024 |
|
Overseas Payload Permit |
University of Sydney |
Waratah Seed-1 will conduct science research and technology demonstration using payloads carried on-board. |
Granted |
26/03/2024 |
| Launch facility licence | Gilmour Space Technologies Pty Ltd | Operation of the Bowen Orbital Spaceport located near Bowen, Queensland, to support launches of the Eris Block 1 launch vehicle. | Granted | 20/02/2024 |
| Overseas Payload Permit | ResearchSat Pty Ltd | The payload to be launched on a suborbital sounding rocket launch is the ADI-E payload, a platform for conducting scientific research in microgravity conditions. | Granted | 25/01/24 |
|
Return Authorisation (Overseas Payload) |
ResearchSat Pty Ltd | The payload to be returned is the ADI-E payload, a platform for conducting scientific research in microgravity conditions. | Given | 25/01/24 |
| Overseas Payload Permit | Curtin University | The 3 small 1U cubesats Binar-2, Binar-3 and Binar-4 will be used for a student star-tracking experiment, CSIRO research experiment and a STEM outreach program for high schools. | Granted | 30/11/2023 |
| Overseas Payload Permit |
Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) |
The MRS Astrobee payload is being launched to the ISS to perform experiments to support internal 3D scanning of the vehicle for logistics purposes. | Granted | 28/11/2023 |
| Overseas Payload Permit | Space Machines Company Pty Ltd | The Optimus-2 orbital transfer vehicle technology demonstrator will flight qualify key technologies and subsystems for use on future commercial flights. | Granted | 15/11/2023 |
| Overseas Payload Permit | University of Melbourne | Demonstrate a fully operational 6U Australian nanosatellite platform on-orbit and operate the HERMES payload from the Italian Space Agency as complement to the HERMES constellation. | Granted | 07/09/2023 |
| Overseas Payload Permit | Skykraft Pty Ltd | Skykraft satellite Skykraft-3 and 4 constellation spacecraft are technology demonstrators and pathfinders for the roll-out of space-based Air Traffic Management constellation. These spacecraft will demonstrate ADS-B and VHF capabilities from space. | Granted | 15/04/2023 |
| Overseas Payload Permit | Swinburne University of Technology | The payload to be launched to the International Space Station is a research project designed to provide educational outcomes for the participants of the Swinburne Youth Science Innovation Challenge program. | Granted | 29/03/2023 |
| Return Authorisation (Overseas Payload) |
Swinburne University of Technology | The payload to be returned from the International Space Station is a research project designed to provide educational outcomes for the participants of the Swinburne Youth Science Innovation Challenge program. | Given | 29/03/2023 |
| Overseas Payload Permit | Fleet Space Technologies Pty Ltd | Fleet Space satellites Centauri 6, 7 and 8 will act as communications relays for customer Internet of Things (IoT) and mineral exploration data through S-band radio. | Granted | 16/02/2023 |
| Overseas Payload Permit | Skykraft | Skykraft satellite Skykraft-1 and constellation spacecraft are technology demonstrators and pathfinders for the roll-out of a space-based Air Traffic Management constellation. | Granted | 22/09/2022 |
| Australian launch permit | AT Space Pty Ltd | A series of two suborbital launches and connected returns of the Hapith I launch vehicle from the Whalers Way Orbital Launch Complex, South Australia. | Granted | 24/06/2022 |
| Launch facility licence | Southern Launch Space Pty Ltd | Launch facility at Whalers Way, Sleaford, South Australia to support up to two suborbital test launches. | Granted | 24/06/2022 |
| Australian launch permit | Equatorial Launch Australia Pty Ltd | Suborbital launches of the Black Brant IX vehicle for the 2022 NASA scientific sounding rocket campaign from Arnhem Space Centre, Northern Territory. | Granted | 24/05/2022 |
| Launch facility licence | Equatorial Launch Australia Pty Ltd | Launch facility known as the Arnhem Space Centre, located in East Arnhem, Northern Territory. This facility licence is limited to the 2022 NASA scientific sounding rocket campaign. | Granted | 24/05/2022 |
| Overseas Payload Permit | Fleet Space Technologies Pty Ltd | Fleet satellite Centauri-5 will provide communication with the Fleet network. | Granted | 16/05/2022 |
| Australian launch permit | Taiwan Innovative Space Inc. | Suborbital launch of Hapith I launch vehicle from Whalers Way Orbital Launch Complex, South Australia. | Granted | 09/08/2021 |
| Launch facility licence | SouthernLaunch.Space Pty Ltd | Launch facility at the Whalers Way Orbital Launch Complex at Sleaford, South Australia for a suborbital test launch campaign. | Granted | 12/07/2021 |
| Overseas Payload Permit | Fleet Space Technologies Pty Ltd | Fleet satellite Centauri-4 will provide communication with the Fleet network. | Granted | 25/05/2021 |
| Overseas Payload Permit | The University of Sydney | The CUAVA-1 satellite will collect research data from low earth orbit and transmit to the research team for use in scientific and engineering analyses undertaken by the CUAVA Centre and collaborators. | Granted | 14/05/2021 |
| Overseas Payload Permit | EchoStar Global Australia Pty Ltd | Satellite ‘EchoStar Global – 3’ (EG-3), a communications satellite, will also be used to expand testing of the EchoStar mobile satellite service network. | Granted | 10/05/2021 |
| Overseas Payload Permit | Curtin University | Satellite Binar-1 will test a number of systems designed by Curtin to be used in future satellites. | Granted | 29/04/2021 |
| Launch facility licence | SouthernLaunch.Space Pty Ltd | Mobile launch facility at Koonibba Test Range, South Australia for suborbital launches. | Granted | 09/03/2021 |
| Overseas Payload Permit | Fleet Space Technologies Pty Ltd | Fleet satellite Centauri-3 will provide communication with the Fleet network. | Granted | 05/02/2021 |
| Overseas Payload Permit | University of New South Wales | UNSW satellites M2-A and M2-B will test a number of systems designed by UNSW, including decoupling, artificial intelligence and space situational awareness capabilities. | Granted | 02/02/2021 |
| Overseas Payload Permit | Myriota Pty Ltd | Myriota satellite ‘Myriota 7’ will provide direct-to-orbit satellite connectivity for the Internet of Things (IoT) devices. | Granted | 20/11/2020 |
| Overseas Payload Permit | Myriota Pty Ltd | Myriota satellite ‘Myriota 6’ will provide direct-to-orbit satellite connectivity for the Internet of Things (IoT) devices. | Granted | 20/11/2020 |
| Overseas Payload Permit |
Myriota Pty Ltd | Myriota satellite ‘Myriota 5’ will provide direct-to-orbit satellite connectivity for the Internet of Things. | Granted | 11/09/2020 |
| Overseas Payload Permit | EchoStar Global Australia Pty Ltd | Communications satellite (CubeSat) testing Internet of Things connectivity. | Granted | 23/03/2020 |
| Overseas Payload Permit | EchoStar Global Australia Pty Ltd | Communications satellite (CubeSat) testing Internet of Things connectivity. | Granted | 23/03/2020 |
| Overseas Payload Permit | The University of New South Wales | The M2 Pathfinder satellite (CubeSat) will test communications architecture and other technologies that will assist in informing future space capabilities. | Granted | 13/02/2020 |
| Overseas Payload Permit | Space Environment Research Centre Limited | Payload mounted on a CubeSat to support research undertaken by the Space Environment Research Centre. | Granted | 4/12/2019 |