Aerospace firm wins approval for rocket fuel facility
John Crouch |
A defence and space company has been given the green light to build a facility that will allow it to build and test rockets at a site in southern Queensland.
Black Sky Aerospace has received state and local government approval to use a 1000-hectare agricultural property to develop a rocket fuel facility and associated infrastructure.
The company said the site would become an important part of Australia’s rocket industry supply chain.
It would build facilities to perform research and development, motor tests and rocket launches at the property on the land, the southeast Queensland-based company said in a statement on Wednesday.
Chief executive Blake Nikolic said the approval would allow Black Sky to develop, manufacture and test-fire rockets without having to travel.
“That means we will produce the solid rocket propellant and the rocket motors in one location, then take them out and test them without having to go long distances for every test,” he said.
“This will dramatically reduce our cycle times for research, development, test, evaluation and qualification, ensuring the highest levels of quality control.”
Black Sky specialises in developing and building missiles and their components, including rocket motors and solid rocket propellant.
The firm previously announced the successful completion of a project to locally produce ammonium perchlorate, a chemical that makes up about 70 per cent of most rocket fuel.
The chemical could help Australia become self-sufficient as it moves to produce sovereign rockets and missiles.
AAP
