Look up, or you just might miss it. A new piece of next-generation Australian space technology is on display at the Australian Space Discovery Centre. 

Centauri-6 is the eighth satellite launched by Adelaide-based company Fleet Space, and successfully reached orbit on April 8, 2024 aboard SpaceX’s Bandwagon-1 mission. The satellite is set to enhance the capability of Fleet’s flagship mineral exploration technology, ExoSphere. 

Exosphere uses arrays of satellite-enabled seismic sensors to scan beneath the Earth’s surface. The technology enables minimally invasive land surveying by combining satellite connectivity, edge computing, AI, and geophysics to achieve a near-zero environmental impact.

“Centauri-6 is a portal into a future of resilient, energy-efficient microsatellites that can unlock previously unimaginable solutions to hard problems on Earth.”

~ Flavia Tata Nardini, Fleet Space CEO & Co-Founder

Fast facts about the spacecraft

  • The satellite has been designed with an ion electric propulsion system, which is powered by solar panels to provide thrust in the vacuum of space. 
     
  • Centauri-6’s design also leverages 3D-printed components - including the 3D-printed metal patch antenna Fleet Space pioneered on earlier Centauri satellites.
     
  • Fleet Space’s seismic technology will also play a role in NASA's Artemis program. The Australian Space Agency awarded a $4M Moon to Mars: Demonstrator grant to develop SPIDER (Seismic Payload for Interplanetary Discovery, Exploration and Research) stations, which will head to the Moon in 2026 to study lunar regolith and search for water ice. 
Image of the Australian Space Discovery Centre

Learn about Australia’s role in space

At the Australian Space Discovery Centre, you can explore the latest innovations in space technologies, through a range of interactive exhibits and displays.

Plan your visit

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We Acknowledge First Nations Peoples as the Traditional Custodians and Lore Keepers of the oldest living culture and pay respects to their Elders past and present. We extend that respect to all First Nations Peoples.