Advanced manufacturer XTEK has signed a Statement of Strategic Intent and Cooperation with the Australian Space Agency for the development of lightweight composite material products, ideal for space applications.
XTEK’s Managing Director Philippe Odouard said the agreement will assist in the development of space-related industries leveraging XTEK’s state of the art XTclave processing technology which produces advanced composite materials with unique advantages for application in space.
“This Statement represents a formal relationship with the Australian space industry, which validates the broader application of our novel XTclave™ technology. It also provides us access to a potential significant market in which we can continue developing and commercialising our advanced composite solutions,” Mr Odouard said.
“We look forward to supporting the Agency’s purpose to grow and transform a globally respected space industry.”
XTEK, which intends to employ 45 new engineers, technicians and machinists over the next three to five years, intends to build design and testing capabilities through several ongoing space application projects, including development of new space craft and launcher system.
Head of the Australian Space Agency, Dr Megan Clark, said this statement by a national manufacturing company will ‘strengthen the capability and competitiveness of Australia’s space industry’.
“This Statement of Intent will assist in the development of space-related industries as the Australian Space Agency aims to grow the local space sector from $3.9 billion to $12 billion over the next ten years, and create up to 20,000 new space jobs,” said Dr Clark.
