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Inovor Technologies has successfully completed its critical design review (CDR) for the Australian Defence Science and Technology Group’s Buccaneer Main Mission (BMM), marking the start of the manufacture and test phase of the 6U Apogee spacecraft.
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BMM will enable Defence to launch an HF receiver payload into space to contribute to calibration research of the Jindalee Operational Radar Network (JORN), in addition, BMM will host several innovative secondary payloads, furthering technology research for Defence.
The BMM spacecraft builds on the 2017-launched Buccaneer Risk Reduction Mission (BRMM) flown by the Defence Science and Technology Group which successfully flew key technologies that now underpin the BMM mission.
Inovor Technologies’ Apogee spacecraft bus is providing the structure, power, pointing, and telemetry and control systems, all integrated into a lightweight modular structure. The successful CDR completion marks a major milestone for Inovor Technologies, its major subcontractor SITAEL Australia, and Defence.
Inovor Technologies CEO Dr Matthew Tetlow said, "The success of the Critical Design Review is testament to the collaborative efforts of Inovor Technologies, Defence, and SITAEL Australia and our shared focus which is to successfully deliver Australian-made satellite solutions and Australian-owned space technologies."
Andrew Seedhouse, chief of the Defence Science and Technology Group’s Intelligence, Surveillance and Space Division (ISSD), said the successful CDR was a pleasing result.
"It is great to see this program pass this important milestone and we are very pleased to see the increasing use of Australian industry solutions in a space system. Such growth in industrial capability is critical for further involvement of Australian industry in the broader Defence space program," Seedhouse said.
Mark Ramsey, general manager of SITAEL Australia, said the Critical Design Review had showcased the ability of Australia’s talented space technicians.
"We have a highly skilled, highly integrated team working on BMM, which contributed to the successful delivery of the CDR. We look forward to building on the momentum of the CDR in the manufacture and testing phase," Ramsey added.
DST’s current mission is Buccaneer. Buccaneer will fly an advanced high frequency receiver to provide far-field calibration measurements for JORN. These measurements will enhance the capability of JORN to more accurately locate targets such as aircraft.
Buccaneer has been developed in collaboration with University of New South Wales, Canberra.
