New Agreement Enables US Launches From Australian Spaceports

Jeff Foust reports via SpaceNews: The governments of Australia and the United States have signed an agreement that could allow American rockets to launch from Australian spaceports, although it is unclear how much demand there is for them. The U.S. State Department announced Oct. 26 that the two countries signed a technology safeguards agreement (TSA) regarding space launches from Australia. The agreement provides the "legal and technical framework" for American launches from Australian facilities while protecting sensitive technologies.

The TSA is required to allow the export of U.S.-built launch vehicles to Australia. Industry officials in Australia said the agreement will allow spaceport projects there to sign long-awaited deals to host launches by American companies. [...] The precise demand for Australian launch sites from American launch companies remains unclear. The ELA statement included an illustration of four small launch vehicles from ABL Space Systems, Astra, Phantom Space and Vaya Space, as well as Rocket Lab's Neutron medium-lift rocket. "We hear regularly from both the U.S. government and industry of their demand for this capability in Australia," said Jeremy Hallett, executive chairman of the Space Industry Association of Australia, in a statement. "This agreement removes the blockage stopping this demand being met by Australian space industry and we look forward to the new business opportunities that will emerge for the industry."

TSA exports?

[saloomy]

Couldnt SpaceX just land one of their rockets in Australia as a matter of shipment? Wouldnt take much fuel. Come to think of it, is a Falcon 9 even one of these protected technologies? Or do they mean the new rockets from Boeing that are commissioned by the US Government?

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[Valgrus Thunderaxe]

Couldnt SpaceX just land one of their rockets in Australia as a matter of shipment?

That's an interesting idea and good question.

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[backslashdot]

Falcon 9 is a protected technology. Any orbital class rocket is covered under ITAR.

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[backslashdot]

Because of ITAR. If you're American and provide detailed information about how an advanced rocket works to any foreigner, you may end up violating ITAR and subject to criminal fines of up to $1,000,000 and 10 years imprisonment per violation.

Re: TSA exports?

[saloomy]

But once in space, SpaceX is out of customs controls?

Re: TSA exports?

[WindBourne]

I think that this agreement allows SX to take rockets there. This is why I say that we need to straighten up national security through the west. America is very porous to china, Russia, and Iran, but Australia is much worse with china.

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[MacMann]

Couldnt SpaceX just land one of their rockets in Australia as a matter of shipment? Wouldnt take much fuel.

As little fuel it might take I suspect that it would take even less fuel to get rockets to Australia by sea. Not only that but the fuel for the ship would be cheap marine diesel oil than far more expensive space grade methane or kerosene for the rocket.

That's not saying Elon Musk won't at least try to fly a rocket to Australia, it would be a nice demonstration of SpaceX technology. If he tries this then any of a number of things could prevent it from happening. They'd need permission from the USA and Aus

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[sg_oneill]

I dont know about the americans, but I can guarantee our govt in australia would give permission simply so daft politicians in hi-viz gear and a helmet can stand there in front of a rocket and say "How good are them rockets mate!" for the cameras while pretending to be working class.

Regardless, MAYBE IM BIASED, but I like the Idea of an australian spaceport and so should you, for one simple reason: Our weather is great, and our skies are clear, and we dont *do* tornadoes over here.

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[ls671]

Well, Australia has no problems hosting many US buildings for spy CIA whatever right in the center of their country so why not allow rockets too?see buildings in link below:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/... [wikipedia.org]

Re: TSA exports?

[saloomy]

Sea transport would be export controlled because the customs officials are at sea ports. Likely no one is at Starbase, and once in space, where it lands is up to SpaceX. They already land in international waters. If they wanted to; I bet a shortfall of gravitas could just deliver the rocket to an Australian cost?

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[MacMann]

Right, because the FAA won't ask if customs officials were informed of a rocket flight with a planned destination of Australia. Maybe SpaceX thinks nobody will notice a Falcon rocket taking off without FAA authorization? Even if SpaceX somehow "accidentally" gets a rocket to land in Australia that will lead to consequences if this violates some rule on the export of rockets to Australia. They might be able to get away with one such "accident" and not face much punishment but that could *NEVER* happen aga

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[gtall]

All the support infrastructure is in the U.S. You don't just decide some place in the middle of nowhere is great for launching rockets, it takes a lot of support to get those up there where they can help screw up the stratosphere.

The summary is missing a few choice quotes

[GrumpySteen]

Immediately after the four companies named in the summary, we have this:

Of those companies, the only one that ELA had previously identified as a prospective customer is Phantom Space.

Phantom Space has test fired a single engine, but they have yet to build an actual rocket and test it, even though their website still claims they're going to launch this year.

That rocket has yet to make its first flight although Phantomâ(TM)s website states it is âoebooking launches for 2023.

And an actual launch facility (albeit a small, private one) hasn't seen any demand for US rockets to be launched from Australia.

Southern Launch has not identified any American launch customers for its facilities

The whole thing reeks of politicians who were treated to a "fact finding" trip to an expensive hotel in Australia paid for by a lobbying group.

It's quite clever

[Rosco P. Coltrane]

If the engine fails, the rocket falls down - meaning it will in fact reach orbit above Australia.

Could SpaceX use this

[backslashdot]

The FAA is blocking SpaceX from launching Starship from launching.. could they go this route instead?

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[Vulch]

The USA claims global jurisdiction over its citizens and corporations so SpaceX would still require an FAA licence to launch, as well as satisfying whatever oversight bodies Australia has.

China must really have the USA scared.

[MacMann]

We saw the USA and UK open up technology exchanges to allow Australia to get nuclear powered submarines, and now a technology exchange to allow rockets to be exported to Australia. This makes me think that China is getting people in the USA federal government very concerned.

During WW2 we saw the Allies base all kinds of military forces out of Australia because it was a large land mass controlled by a friendly nation close to their adversary. With things getting hostile with China there's an advantage to c

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[NotEmmanuelGoldstein]

... actually do the dying ...

Whenever the US has invaded a country, Australia has happily done their fighting for them. While they tend to do the higher-risk missions, their lack of Pentagon overkill means they suffer lower losses.

Australia was the first to start economic trade with communist China and it is still strong. A recent journal article questioned if Australia should be selling rare-earth minerals to China. Occasionally, Australia imposes some wrist-slap for human-rights abuse and China reacts with 'you have no right' ar

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[inthegreenwoods]

China, Russia, North Korea, and Iran are actually at war with the rest of the world, and have been for decades. They are running massive crime operations on the internet, arming terrorist groups, or rather crime gangs that pretend to have religious or nationalistic motives. They are funding and facilitating large scale production of fentanyl, and recently have succeeded in planting agents into governments in Australia, USA, Hungary, and Britain, to give just a partial list. By planting trump into the GOP an

Big mistake

[WindBourne]

Western nations need to get ahold of their national security before we share more. America used to be tight, but with labor laws, combined with gutting of clearances by GOP, we have become as bad as other western nations.