Defence research projects awarded $3 million in funding

Seven research projects described as delivering “ground-breaking” technologies, ranging from underwater charging stations for uncrewed underwater vehicles to better understanding online communities, have received a total of $3 million in funding from the Defence Innovation Partnership (DIP). The funding, announced on Wednesday, is through DIP’s Activator Fund and Collaborative Research Fund, and is aimed at…

Global trade tensions highlight urgency for Australia to invest in sovereign advanced materials capability

Without a concerted effort to develop local refining and manufacturing, Australia will remain dependent on international supply chains for the materials we use, leaving us vulnerable to global disruptions. By Professor Christopher Hutchinson. Australia stands at an important point in its technological and industrial future. While we have abundant raw materials and a wealth of…

GME acquires Eylex for undisclosed amount

Radio frequency communications specialist GME has announced its acquisition of defence electronics company Eylex. In a statement on Wednesday, GME said the acquisition represented “full ownership and management control” of Eylex, and will boost its “innovation opportunities and assist in its ongoing diversification efforts” within the “defence, security and resilience sectors”.  The value of the…

Sydney startup Optera links with Thales for space camera project

Fabless semiconductor company Optera Solutions, which is commercialising “event-based sensing” (EBS) technology developed at Western Sydney University, was selected to join Thales’s Space Business Catalyst Program in Toulouse. The French-headquartered defence contractor announced this week that Optera began its six-month residency in the September 2024 intake of the SBC, which selects the “most promising global…

Building the future of space propulsion: How we developed our in-house test facility

By Shane Albances In the competitive landscape of space technology, agility and speed of innovation are paramount. At Space Machines Company, we made a strategic decision to invest in developing our own satellite propulsion system as well as establishing a propulsion test facility — a capability that has already proven instrumental in accelerating our product…