A South Australian Government space industry grant will accelerate the commercialisation of new thermal energy technology being developed by an SA company, to help spacecraft and their systems withstand the extreme low temperatures on the moon.
Local innovator, entX has secured $200,000 under Round 2 of the South Australian Space Collaboration and Innovation Fund to help fast-track the development of its innovative space technology, by collaborating with leading international lunar exploration company, ispace.
entX has developed a prototype of its radioisotope heating unit (RHU), a device that protects spacecraft components and systems during the lunar night, where temperatures can drop to minus 190 degrees Celsius.
Lunar night survival and thermal management are among the most critical challenges for spacecraft on the lunar surface.
entX’s technology can extend the lifespan of lunar missions from 10-14 days to a few months, by offering a safer, more cost-effective and accessible alternative heat source for lunar night survival, compared to traditional plutonium-based RHUs and battery solutions.
entX and Japan’s ispace have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to build collaboration opportunities around technology development, testing and demonstration, with the intention of working together to bring the RHU technology to market.
The partnership between entX and ispace may unlock opportunities for the technology to be used by ispace payload customers on future lunar missions.
entX is also engaging with US launch providers and regulatory bodies to gain flight heritage for the prototype in the US.
A collaboration between the South Australian Space Industry Centre and Defence Innovation Partnership, the South Australian Space Collaboration and Innovation Fund was launched last year to accelerate the development of local space innovations and collaboration with international partners.
Learn more about the successful project at sasic.sa.gov.au/space-fund
Quotes attributable to Stephen Mullighan
The South Australian Government is committed to supporting the growth of South Australia’s space industry and this funding is fast-tracking local technology into a commercially viable, game-changing space solution.
The international collaboration between entX and ispace, will help advance new approaches to future space missions and address critical space challenges.
South Australia is home to a forward-thinking space community developing new technologies and capabilities, which reinforces our position as a key player in the global space industry.
Quotes attributable to Bryn Jones, Managing Director, entX
These grants are the culmination of three years of collaboration between entX, the Australian Space Agency, iLAuNCH, ANSTO and great industry partners to make an RHU that is accessible to the civil space industry, rather than being just the domain of governments.
This support from the South Australian government will enable us to work closely with ispace to investigate the feasibility of integrating our RHU into future lunar missions.