Eight Australian-owned space and defence companies have announced a teaming arrangement to form the Australian Defence Industry Space Capability Alliance (ADISCA).

The ADISCA collaboration was announced on the sidelines of the Australian Space Forum in Adelaide on 3 March, and comprises DEWC Systems, Gilmour Space Technologies, Inovor Technologies, Neumann Space, Nova Systems, Southern Launch, REDARC Defence Systems, and Space Machines Company.

A joint release says the alliance can deliver on all Defence’s Sovereign Industry Capability Priorities for space by providing capabilities such as; launch vehicle design and manufacture, space vehicle design and manufacture, payload design and manufacture, in-space propulsion, in-space transportation, launch services and mission control services, and can support commercial, civil, and defence sectors.

 “ADISCA members are leading the development of cutting-edge space and defence technologies that can, and should, be utilised by the Commonwealth to advance Australia’s strategic interests in space,” DEWC Systems CEO, Ian Spencer said in the release.

“ADISCA is a genuine sovereign collaboration in response to the Commonwealth’s call for Australian industry to provide its expertise to further our nation’s interests in space,” he added. “We look forward to Defence engaging with our highly skilled Australian consortium to prime upcoming Defence-related space projects.”

By forming ADISCA, it says Australian industry is answering the Commonwealth’s call for local industry to lead the development of sovereign space capabilities to serve and protect Australia’s national interests.

“Between the ADISCA companies, we employ many of the brightest people in technology and business in Australia,” Spencer said. “We are key contributors to the advancement of the Australian Civil Space Sector Strategy which aims to triple the size of the sector to $12 billion and create an additional 20,000 jobs over the next decade. ADISCA members look forward to playing our part in Australia’s Defence future in space.”