South Australian satellite Kanyini launched on SpaceX rocket

The South Australian-owned and manufactured satellite Kanyini has been launched onboard a SpaceX rocket from the United States.

This milestone marks the first time a State Government-funded satellite has been launched in the nation, with Kanyini developed by a dedicated team of South Australian-based companies – SmartSat CRC, Inovor Technologies, and Myriota.

“The launch of Kanyini is a significant milestone and pivotal step forward for South Australia’s space sector, setting us up for further success on a global stage,” said Stephen Mullighan, Minister for Defence and Space Industries. 

He added, “We are excited for Kanyini to unlock more opportunities for research and development of innovative, sovereign Australian space technologies.”

With Kanyini now in orbit, the next major milestone for the project is to establish stable communications through an operations centre located at Inovor Technologies in Lot Fourteen, Adelaide.

“The State’s small satellite, Kanyini, has taken a giant leap for South Australia’s space sector,” remarked SmartSat CRC CEO Andy Koronios. 

“The Kanyini mission is not just about sending a satellite into space; it’s about building South Australia’s capabilities and contributing valuable data for applications that enhance our lives here in South Australia.”

Once fully commissioned, Kanyini will begin delivering critical space data to government and research institutions, with a strong focus on sustainability and climate impact initiatives. 

Among its research objectives is early bushfire detection technology, which can identify fires from space 500 times faster than traditional methods.

“Putting anything into space is an extraordinary feat, and the success of this launch of the Kanyini satellite is an excellent achievement, not only for the Kanyini team, including Inovor, but also for the South Australian space sector as a whole,” stated Dr Matt Tetlow, CEO of Inovor Technologies. 

“The collaborative effort from the whole mission team, including SmartSat CRC and Myriota, as well as the support from the South Australian Government, has been critical for the success of Kanyini.”

Kanyini will also support a program led by the South Australian Department for Environment and Water and Greening Adelaide to sense urban heat islands in the state. 

Additionally, the satellite will gather data to develop predictive AI capabilities for natural disasters, such as landslides and flooding, a project spearheaded by the Queensland University of Technology and the European Space Agency Phi-Lab.

“We are thrilled to announce the successful launch of Kanyini, marking another major milestone as we continue to deliver IoT connectivity globally,” said Dr David Haley, CTO and co-founder of Myriota. 

“As part of Myriota’s commercial IoT constellation, Kanyini will be instrumental in delivering critical field data to users across a range of key industries.”