The Responsive Space Operations Centre (RSOC) in Adelaide is Australia's first national mission control centre, and it’s a one-stop-shop from mission design to flight.

The RSOC opened in 2021, but its roots go back to 2014, when Saber Astronautics began working on a program to advance improvements in spacecraft operations. The company’s laboratories in Sydney and Colorado worked to develop and prove mission operations software alongside services in concurrent design, ground station integration, and pre-flight testing. These capabilities are brought together under one roof at the RSOC, which serves as a commercial hub for satellite control and regional space traffic services.

The RSOC enables local enterprises to design and fly their missions from one place here in Australia. This includes giving the country’s many new space companies and researchers valuable access to advanced operational capabilities.

The RSOC functions in connection with an open supplier marketplace of supporting hardware, including telescopes and dish networks for spacecraft tracking and communications – similar in principle to the app store on your phone. Through a collaboration with Deloitte, Saber Astronautics has implemented secure business models for the marketplace model, as well as experiential design principles. The centre also benefits from the company's in-house advanced capabilities – such as applying 3D gaming technologies, and incorporating machine learning in day-to-day spacecraft operations.

Meanwhile, the RSOC quite literally gives the public a window into Australian space operations: the facility is open to viewing through panoramic glass located in the theatrette of the adjacent Australian Space Discovery Centre, and Saber Astronautics staff regularly give talks to Centre visitors.

A group of people in a mission control.

With the combination of Saber's latest innovations in spacecraft design, command and control, and flexible infrastructure, we can assist space companies at any stage of their project – from concept through to existing on-orbit assets.

~ Andreas Antoniades, National Director, Saber Astronautics

A group of people in a mission control.

Technology features

  • World-class mission operations software developed in Australia, fusing aspects of machine learning, video-game design elements, and human interface research to simplify the flying of spacecraft.
  • Full mission design and analysis services allowing customers to go from concept to mission plan.
  • Cloud-based infrastructure enabling command and control of spacecraft from international mission control centres, and live connections to over 200 ground stations globally.
  • Advanced space traffic management infrastructure, algorithms, and operator tools, such as ‘Space Cockpit’ (used by thousands of space operators and defence personnel globally).
A group of people in a mission control.

Project highlights

  • Agency Space Infrastructure Grant awarded to support design and construction of the facility.
  • Australia's first national mission control centre.
  • Flying the largest Low Earth Orbit communications satellite (Bluewalker-3, AST SpaceMobile), which functions as a mobile phone tower in space.
  • Supporting the night-shift role for the US Space Force (JCO) Asia-Pacific, after running global space traffic management exercises for all of Asia-Pacific.
  • Defence Innovation Hub contracts worth over $6m for space situational awareness activities, including collision calculations and data fusion.
Person working in a lab

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