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Australian space start-up Quasar Satellite Technologies has been selected in a US acceleration program by the US Air Force Research Laboratory Space Vehicles Directorate.
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Quasar, the only international organisation, is one of seven companies selected for the US government-backed 13th Catalyst Accelerator to enable and expedite the ability for non-traditional technology companies to become involved in the US national defence ecosystem.
The program offers connections to US government agencies, alongside mentorship and to fast track business development opportunities for Quasar’s space domain awareness (SDA), space communications, and scalable cost-effective ground station service solutions.
“Our inclusion in the Catalyst Accelerator recognises our ability to provide unique insights into the SDA intelligence sector,” according to Quasar chief sales officer Richard Singh.
“Our technology is unparalleled, featuring exclusive and patented intellectual property. It is the culmination of over 12 years of extensive research and development in wideband RF arrays.
“Fully software-defined, our system can be designed for rapid deployment in forward-operating scenarios.”
It’s understood Quasar was selected by a panel of judges for its advanced phased array system and potential to benefit space domain awareness. The system is effective at detecting and characterising radio frequency signals from space for all-of-sky visibility with no blind spots.
Quasar has developed a fully digital multibeam phased array antenna, capable of simultaneously delivering SDA and satellite communications from a single aperture. It’s “all-sky” visibility capability brings insights in detecting and characterising radio frequency (RF) signals from space, including uncorrelated tracks and anomalies. As a dual-use technology, it is a force multiplier in both commercial and defence sectors.
“We launched our world-first SDA technology with resounding success – the number of satellites in space is ballooning, and civil, commercial and government defence and intelligence agencies not only want their own stake in the space race, but all-sky visibility to see what the rest of the world is doing in orbit,” said Singh.
“We have already engaged with key agencies in the US, Australia and other markets to share our initial data sets and analysis.”
The 13th cohort, focused on space domain awareness, will encourage participants into a collaborative setting to facilitate a lasting national impact. The space domain awareness cohort is the first accelerator established in partnership with the Space Domain Awareness Tools, Applications and Processing (TAP) Lab.
“The TAP Lab is partnered with Catalyst Campus to feed companies directly from the Catalyst Accelerator into the lab,” according to SDA TAP Lab chief Major Sean Allen.
“They mature the business model and the lab helps accelerate the product. This means companies are better positioned to build what the NSDC and Delta 2 need and are more likely to make sales.
“Last week, I had the privilege of reviewing pitches for the Catalyst Accelerator. It was amazing to see the expertise of these start-ups. I learned a lot and am confident our partnership will ultimately improve the quality of commercial space battle management software.”
Quasar’s inclusion in the Catalyst Accelerator follows the successful December launch of its world-first SDA capabilities in Orlando, Florida.
Quasar’s technology is available to Five Eyes and Quad nations and their allies. The US is the company’s primary target market, alongside Australia, the United Kingdom, India, and Japan.
