April 13, 2021
Additional support from the South Australian Government will supplement nearly $4m the company is raising itself. If the grant application is successful, Fleet Space will become a major satellite manufacturing hub and increase its payroll from 31 staff today to 128 by 2024, according to CEO and co-founder Flavia Tata Nardini. Most of the new employees will be engineers and specialist satellite assembly technicians. Fleet Space has spent $12m since 2015 on research & development (R&D) to develop the world’s most advanced beam-steering antenna and to miniaturise its satellites’ communications payload. These make it possible to deliver its Nebula space-based data network using a 10kg nanosatellite, where previously this level of connectivity was only possible with a 100kg satellite. The company, which has already launched four nanosatellites, has applied for a $5m grant from the Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources under the MMI to help it make the jump. Fleet Space plans to build a new factory…