SA’s Satellite in Space and Here’s How It Will Help Us
South Australians are known for making some awesome stuff – mainly world-class wine, an abundance of wheat, and, of course, Farmers Union Iced Coffee.
But South Australia is reaching for the stars – literally.
Kanyini, the first state government-funded satellite in Australia was launched on August 17 aboard a SpaceX rocket from the United States and will bring some amazing benefits to South Australians.
Kanyini was designed and built right here in South Australia by local companies SmartSat CRC, Inovor, and Myriota is a $6.5 million mission. But it’s not just about sending a hunk of metal into orbit, it’s also about skyrocketing the state’s space sector, creating job opportunities, and building vital space capabilities that will help South Australia shine even brighter.
About the size of a shoebox and weighing just 12 kilograms, Kanyini is now orbiting the Earth. The next big step for the project is to establish a stable communication link through an operations centre based at Inovor Technologies in Adelaide’s Lot Fourteen. Once fully operational, Kanyini will start sending important data that can be used by government agencies and research institutions, particularly in areas like sustainability and understanding climate impacts.
Some of the most important research for South Australia that Kanyini will support includes early bushfire detection – using technology that can spot fires from space up to 500 times faster than traditional methods. It will also keep tabs on urban heat islands in South Australia, in a project led by the Department for Environment and Water and Greening Adelaide.
The data collected by Kanyini will also help AI that can accurately predict natural disasters like landslides and floods.
According to SmartSat CRC CEO Andy Koronios, this mission means a significant advancement for South Australia’s space sector. It’s not just about the satellite itself but about the valuable data that will improve life in South Australia.
Inovor CEO Dr. Matt Tetlo emphasised that getting anything into space is an incredible achievement that requires teamwork, while Myriota CTO Dr. David Haley highlighted the collaborative efforts that went into preparing Kanyini to survive the harsh conditions of space.
Back in 2021, students from Findon High School won a state-wide competition to name Australia’s first state satellite, with their entry, “Kanyini,” being announced at the Australian Space Forum. Now, Kanyini is set to play a crucial role in advancing space technology and providing valuable insights for South Australia.
For more newsy information and updates about our State Government, head to weare.sa.gov.au
