Another Skykraft prototype Air Traffic Management satellite stack lifted off from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on June 12, 2023, as a payload aboard the Transporter-8 mission.
This is the second launch for 2023 and is part of a program of planned launches that will support Skykraft’s collaboration with Air Navigation Service Providers (ANSPs) on a space-based solution to track aircraft and provide global communications between pilots and air traffic controllers, regardless of aircraft location.
Skykraft’s Air Traffic Management technology paves the way for a new era of services that will transform how the aviation industry operates, improving safety, reducing fuel costs and contributing significantly to reducing the environmental impact of air transport.
This launch again showcases Skykraft’s in-house, advanced manufacturing capabilities, which have passed the rigorous quality requirements for integration this SpaceX mission. Skykraft’s in-house advanced manufacturing is part of a commitment to minimize capital costs while maximizing performance, to drive competitive pricing in space-based services such as Air Traffic Management.
Skykraft’s Air Traffic Management Constellation will grow consistently over the coming years to provide redundant global coverage, with an average of more than seven satellites within range of an aircraft at anytime, anywhere in the world.
Skykraft is an Australian space services company based in the ACT that specializes in the design, manufacture and operation of satellite constellations for the delivery of global services. Skykraft was established in 2017 as a spin-off company from UNSW Canberra and now employs more than 40 staff across a range disciplines. Skykraft’s manufacturing facility was opened in March 2022 and is located in the centre of Canberra as part of the UNSW Canberra Launch innovation hub.