VXB Aerospace awarded $1.4M CRC-P grant

We are excited to announce that VXB Aerospace has been awarded the lead role for a $1.4M Cooperative Research Centres Projects (CRC-P) Grant by the Hon Ed Husic MP and the Australian Department of Industry, Science and Resources.
 
In partnership with the University of Sydney and GPC Electronics, this grant will support the development of a home-grown sovereign capability for the Evolutionary AI design and advanced manufacturing of electric propulsion systems for satellites.

The grant supports the establishment of a commercial electric propulsion design and testing facility for small satellites, a crucial capability that is currently missing in the Australian space industry. The facility represents a whole-of-lifecycle product design and manufacturing capability for space technology and will be required to speed up the development of larger and more ambitious satellite platforms.

The demonstration of this technology represents an international first, developed at home to give Australian satellites the positioning tools needed to perform efficient, effective missions while adeptly avoiding space debris. 

In parallel with the development of VXB’s Zephyr-35 Hall effect thruster, the grant will support collaboration with the University of Sydney Plasma Physics Lab to develop a coaxial rail-type thruster, based on results from a proof-of-concept parallel rail thruster. GPC Electronics will support both parties with its expertise in the design of space-rated electronics for mass-manufacture. 

We’d like to thank both our grant partners: University of Sydney, GPC Electronics and to thank Ed Husic MP, the Department of Industry, Science and Resources and everyone else who supported our application.