Southern Launch has expanded its national footprint with the opening of a new Canberra office, positioning the company closer to the federal government, Defence and key research and industry partners as Australia’s space sector enters a period of rapid growth.
Located at Brindabella Business Park within Canberra’s advanced aerospace precinct, the new office will support Southern Launch’s growing contribution to national priorities spanning sovereign capability, advanced manufacturing, emerging technologies, national security and the development of Australia’s domestic space industry.
The expansion follows Southern Launch’s $25 million capital raise, backed by the National Reconstruction Fund Corporation, which is supporting the company’s continued growth and development of sovereign space infrastructure and mission capabilities.
The Canberra office was officially opened by ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr MLA and Michael Clausen, acting deputy chief of mission at the US embassy in Australia.
The opening highlights the increasingly important role of international partnerships in strengthening Australia’s space and defence capabilities while reflecting the growing strategic significance of the domestic space sector.
Founded in 2017, Southern Launch has established itself as a key component of Australia’s emerging sovereign space ecosystem and has delivered several Australian and global industry firsts.
The company conducted Australia’s first commercial space launch and has subsequently supported a growing portfolio of commercial and government-related space missions. Southern Launch also facilitated the world’s first commercial spacecraft re-entry to a commercial spaceport.
The company has developed an international customer base spanning organisations, including Varda Space Industries, AtSpace, HyImpulse, Lux Aeterna and SpaceWorks Enterprises, while also supporting NASA-related mission activities, including the Artemis II mission.
These partnerships demonstrate the increasing integration of Australia’s space industry into the global commercial space ecosystem and reinforce the country’s potential as a destination for launch, re-entry and broader space mission operations.
The establishment of a permanent Canberra presence will allow Southern Launch to deepen its engagement with federal government agencies, Defence, research institutions and Australian and international industry partners.
The company said the office would play an important role in supporting collaboration across sovereign capability, advanced manufacturing, emerging technologies, national security and economic development.
Southern Launch CEO Lloyd Damp said the new office reflected both the company’s growth and the increasing strategic importance of Australia’s space sector.
“The establishment of our Canberra office reflects both Southern Launch’s growth and the increasing importance of Australia’s space sector to our nation’s future prosperity, security and technological advancement,” Damp said.
“Canberra sits at the heart of national policy development, defence capability planning and scientific research. Having a presence here allows us to strengthen relationships and support the collaborative efforts required to build a globally competitive Australian space industry.”
The Canberra expansion comes as Australia seeks to develop greater sovereign control over critical space capabilities, including launch infrastructure, satellite technologies, advanced manufacturing and space-based services.
For Southern Launch, the new office provides a direct presence at the centre of Australia’s national security, defence and space policy ecosystem, complementing the company’s operational infrastructure and expanding commercial activities across the country.
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