Space Forge to Explore Satellite Return Capabilities With Southern Launch in Australia

The TED-02 launch in September 2020 from the Koonibba Test Range. Photo: Southern Launch

Welsh space company Space Forge has a new MoU with Australia’s Southern Launch to explore potential satellite return technologies at Southern Launch’s Koonibba Test Range, the companies announced Monday. 

Space Forge is working to develop technologies to manufacture super materials in space, and return the materials to Earth with the ForgeStar re-entry satellite. Space Forge unfortunately lost its demonstration satellite on the Virgin Orbit United Kingdom mission, but plans to test its re-entry capabilities with the ForgeStar-1A satellite later this year. 

The Koonibba Test Range in the South Australia province is a commercial rocket testing facility in line with Sun-Synchronous Orbits (SSO), making it an “ideal” test location for Space Forge, the companies said. 

The companies hope to announce a joint mission by the end of the year. 

“Space Forge will be looking to refurbish and launch their satellites as close as possible to the re-entry point. Our Whalers Way Orbital Launch Complex is the natural solution for a launch site, and we will be exploring this option with Space Forge throughout the MoU process. Our hope is to provide a complete solution for Space Forge which creates further opportunities for the wider industry,” commented Southern Launch CEO Lloyd Damp.