Saab Australia innovates into space
Saab Australia is looking past the horizons and into the Space domain having delivered a highly capable Mission Control solution for Space based scientific activities to the Defence, Science and Technology (DST) Group’s , Intelligence, Surveillance and Space Division.
As a systems integrator and command and control/surveillance developer, Saab has a proven reputation for delivering high-technology solutions into varying domains – now including the final frontier, Space.
Saab worked collaboratively with DST’s scientists by providing specialised expertise in systems and software engineering to develop the Mission Control System. This system will support future DST satellite missions, including the Buccaneer Main Mission.
With extensive experience in developing and implementing Command and Control Systems, Saab has adapted this technology to Mission Control Systems in the Space domain. This leading-edge capability allows DST to manage the operations of their space based research assets; now and into the future.
‘I’m excited to be leading Saab’s endeavour into the Space domain. This project has allowed us to apply our proven sovereign engineering capabilities in complex command and control systems’ – says Graham Smith, Chief Engineer at Saab Australia.
As the Buccaneer Main Mission satellite is still under development, Saab also developed a simulator to test the complete functionality of the Mission Control System and ensure the solution is aligned to DST’s operational needs. This allowed DST to verify the overall effectiveness of the Mission Control System ahead of full integration.
The Saab team was able to deliver a highly capable Mission Control solution for DST’s Space based scientific activities, exceeding expectations around scope. ‘This project demonstrates how our experience is transferable to a range of different technical problems; including those within the growing Space domain’- Graham continues.
The sovereign engineering and technical capability Saab displayed in this project is just one way Saab is moving to establish a substantial Australian presence in the Space domain.
Pictured: Artists impression of the first Buccaneer spacecraft launched in 2017 as a collaboration between DST and the University of New South Wales Canberra // Credit: Buccaneer collaboration