A South Australian-owned and manufactured satellite named Kanyini was successfully launched over the weekend onboard SpaceX’s Transporter-11 mission from the United States.
Kanyini is Australia’s first state government-funded satellite in and was built by a local team of South Australian-based companies; SmartSat CRC, Inovor and Myriota.
“The launch of Kanyini is a significant milestone and pivotal step forward for South Australia’s space sector, setting us up for further success on a global stage,” said South Australian Minister for Defence and Space Industries Stephen Mullighan.
“The Kanyini mission is not just about sending a satellite into space; it’s about building South Australia’s capabilities and contributing valuable data for applications that enhance our lives here in South Australia,” said SmartSat CRC CEO Andy Koronios.
With the AUD6.5 million Kanyini in orbit, the next milestone for the project is to establish stable communications through an operations centre located at Inovor Technologies in Lot Fourteen, Adelaide.
Once fully commissioned, Kanyini will deliver critical space data for government and research institutions, particularly in the areas of sustainability and climate impacts.
Kanyini’s research initiatives include early bushfire detection using technology that can detect fires from space 500 times faster than traditional processing. The satellite will also support a program led by the South Australian Department for Environment and Water and Greening Adelaide to sense urban heat islands.
Data collected by Kanyini will also be used to develop robust and trustworthy predictive AI capabilities that can accurately predict natural disaster events such as landslides and flooding.
“Putting anything into space is an extraordinary feat, and the success of this launch of the Kanyini satellite is an excellent achievement, not only for the Kanyini team, including Inovor, but also for the South Australian space sector as a whole, said Inovor CEO Matt Tetlow. “The collaborative effort from the whole mission team, including SmartSat CRC and Myriota, as well as the support from the South Australian Government, has been critical for the success of Kanyini.”
