Boeing has announced it will partner with RMIT to develop space manufacturing capabilities in Australia.

The agreement will merge Boeing’s space product development with RMIT’s advanced manufacturing research. It covers collaborations on design strategy, materials research, and process innovation, while RMIT will leverage Boeing’s global reach to develop Australian sovereign capabilities at RMIT’s Space Industry Hub for the commercial production space capabilities.  

“Australia’s burgeoning space sector requires the production of complex, low volume, bespoke components not suited to conventional manufacturing techniques,” Boeing Defence Australia’s director of Aerospace Engineering and Production, Paul Watson said in a September 15 release.

“This partnership will develop new knowledge in advanced manufacturing technologies which will not only stimulate the development of a local fabrication capability but will also expose Australian industry to space export markets as part of Boeing’s global supply chain.”

RMIT Deputy Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation, Professor Calum Drummond added, “Our ultimate goal is to maximise opportunities for commercialisation of the products that we co-develop with Boeing.

“This is a pioneering project which provides a tangible pathway for Australian businesses to upskill, innovate and export globally as manufacturers of products for space applications,” he added. “Leveraging Boeing and RMIT’s joint expertise and facilities, we believe we can unlock boundless future opportunities for Australian industry.”

The collaboration with RMIT will bolster the Boeing-led team’s Australian Industry Capability (AIC) credentials for its Project JP9102 Australian Defence SATCOM System (ADSS) bid.