The landmark mission, supported by funding from Defence Trailblazer, represents a major step towards establishing sovereign Australian capabilities in on-orbit satellite operations, space surveillance and national space security.
At the centre of the effort is HEO’s recently acquired Continuum-1 satellite, which will serve as a sovereign in-orbit testbed to develop and validate proximity manoeuvres under real operational conditions.
The mission will allow Australian engineers and researchers to demonstrate how satellites can deliberately approach and inspect other spacecraft using controlled propulsion, a technically demanding capability that underpins modern space domain awareness and future on-orbit servicing.
Rendezvous and proximity operations involve manoeuvring a spacecraft into close range of another object in orbit, allowing detailed inspection, monitoring or coordinated flight. The capability is considered essential for maintaining awareness of activities in space, protecting critical satellite infrastructure, and supporting future servicing, repair and debris management missions.
Until now, Australia’s demonstrated proximity operations capability had been limited to passive formation flying. UNSW Canberra Space previously achieved a world-first demonstration of formation flying without active propulsion between 2021 and 2023. This new mission builds on that foundation by introducing propulsion-enabled manoeuvres, enabling far more precise and tactically relevant operations.
The Continuum-1 mission will allow researchers to answer key operational questions, including how to conduct complex manoeuvres with minimal fuel consumption and how to optimise lighting and positioning for high-resolution inspection of satellites.
Critically, the project will also generate real-world data to calibrate Australia’s ground-based sensor networks, allowing analysts to more accurately interpret satellite behaviour, trajectory and intent.
HEO chief executive and co-founder Dr Will Crowe said the acquisition of Continuum-1 was intended to establish a sovereign orbital platform to accelerate Australia’s space capability development.
“When we acquired Continuum-1, we committed to establishing a sovereign testbed that would accelerate research and development and directly support Australia’s national interests,” Crowe said.
“This partnership delivers on that promise. It gives us a new proximity operations capability while providing a dedicated platform to strengthen Australia’s space security posture and build foundational skills the nation has never had before.”
HEO specialises in non-Earth imaging, observing and analysing satellites themselves rather than the planet below, and operates a distributed network of sensors hosted across multiple spacecraft. The company provides high-frequency monitoring and insights on space assets for government, defence and commercial customers.
The new mission marks a significant expansion of HEO’s operational capabilities, moving beyond flyby observation towards controlled close-range inspection and manoeuvre.
The project is expected to deliver substantial benefits for Australia’s space domain awareness capability – the ability to detect, track and understand objects and activities in orbit.
Associate Professor Melrose Brown, Defence Trailblazer Theme lead for Defence Space Technologies at UNSW, said sovereign proximity operations capability was essential to Australia’s long-term space security.
“Australia needs sovereign capability in space domain awareness and proximity operations, and UNSW Canberra Space has been building that foundation for more than a decade,” Brown said.
“We have on-orbit heritage in satellite formation flying and proximity operations and operate Australia’s largest university-led space domain awareness sensor network.”
Brown said the project would provide real-world validation of manoeuvre techniques and sensor models, significantly improving Australia’s ability to understand and operate confidently in space.
“This mission delivers real manoeuvres, real data and real-world validation – strengthening Australia’s ability to monitor and operate in an increasingly contested space environment,” Brown added.
The initiative aligns closely with Australian Defence priorities to develop resilient, sovereign space capabilities and leverage commercial innovation to support national security.
The mission will generate validated operational data and algorithms that can support Defence training, capability development and future operational planning. It will also help build a skilled national workforce experienced in proximity operations planning, spacecraft manoeuvre execution and space surveillance analysis.
Defence Trailblazer, which supports the project, brings together universities, industry and government to accelerate development and commercialisation of advanced defence technologies.
The partnership between HEO and UNSW Canberra Space highlights the growing maturity of Australia’s domestic space sector, which has rapidly evolved from experimental satellite development to advanced operational capabilities.
As reliance on satellites for communications, navigation, intelligence and military operations continues to grow, the ability to monitor and safely operate near other spacecraft is becoming increasingly important.
By successfully demonstrating propulsion-enabled rendezvous and proximity operations, Australia is taking a major step towards establishing sovereign capability in one of the most technically demanding areas of space operations.
The Continuum-1 mission represents not only a technological milestone but also a strategic one, positioning Australia to play a more active and independent role in safeguarding its interests in space.