Space

SA Innovation Places are driving space technology development

3 November 2025

South Australia’s Innovation Places are a connected ecosystem that facilitates world-class research and commercialisation of emerging technologies and are playing a central role in driving collaboration and enabling space tech development.

Innovation Places bring together the private and public sectors, large organisations, and startups to combine knowledge and drive progress, making these locations the place to be for space tech companies seeking rapid growth.

Space companies choose SA Innovation Places as their preferred location

With the Australian Space Agency and Responsive Space Operations Centre (RSOC), operated by Australian company Saber Astronautics at Adelaide’s innovation place, Lot Fourteen, alongside fast-moving SA space companies like Southern Launch, and Space Machines Company, among others, South Australia’s innovation places are attracting and developing a strong, growing and highly skilled space-focused workforce.

SA Innovation Places connect space research to commercialisation

From research and policy to manufacturing and operations, our Innovation Places offer a connected ecosystem that is well-positioned to meet the fast-paced, evolving demands of the global space economy.

The network of 21 innovation places is still growing, connecting research and academic institutions like Flinders University, Adelaide University (the merger of UniSA and University of Adelaide) at Mawson Lakes and Roseworthy with innovation districts like Tonsley Innovation District, Edinburgh Defence Precinct, Technology Park and many more locations.

Particularly critical for space innovation is access to launch and test ranges in remote locations, including the Southern Launch test range at Koonibba and Whalers Way.

The state government is actively connecting these hubs, creating opportunities for cross-sector collaboration both fuels the growth of the space industry and strengthens other priority sectors across the state.

“South Australians are at the forefront of the national space sector and are absolutely punching above their weight on the world stage when it comes to space.”
— Campbell Pegg, Director, Space, SASIC

Universities, government, start-ups and established players collaborate on global space challenges

Adelaide University will become Australia’s leading university for defence and space research, blending strengths in science, engineering, law and policy. Flinders University will continue to contribute uniquely through its space law and policy expertise.

The Australian Institute for Machine Learning, EXTERRES Analogue Facility, the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Plants for Space, and the Andy Thomas Centre for Space Resources are all part of a rich research base that influences all aspects of space innovation.

These universities and research centres are producing technology, policy frameworks, law, human capital and training courses for studies in Space.

The South Australian Space Industry Centre drives industry and workforce development through a range of initiatives as the South Australian Government agency focused on space. These include leading infrastructure projects, events, scholarships and support for programs designed to inspire and train the next generation of space leaders.

Across the Innovation Places, startups are addressing globally identified challenges, including space junk, while building satellite capabilities.

SA now supports a full space flight ecosystem

South Australia now supports a full space flight ecosystem, from launches, to manufacturing in orbit, to commercial re-entry, making this state among only a few places with this complex end-to-end space capability.

“All eyes are on South Australia from the global space industry – setting the stage for our state to be in international demand for an easy-to-access return-to-Earth site.” Joe Szakacs (SA Minister for Trade & Investment)