Fleet’s Expansion Gains Altitude

In another major success for South Australia’s growing space ecosystem, South Australian-based company Fleet Space Technologies is expanding its Adelaide headquarters in a bid to accommodate the micro-satellite manufacturer’s rapid growth.

As one of Australia’s fastest growing high-tech companies specialising in low-cost satellite-based systems for Internet of Things applications, Fleet’s workforce has doubled in the last six months, with the company now employing 86 people across space engineering, manufacturing, commercial and operations functions.

The company recently unveiled its expanded dedicated space for commercial and operational disciplines at its Beverley facility, expanding the footprint of the company’s headquarters to 300 sqm.

The expansion comes after the company committed to building a hyper factory at Australia’s first dedicated space manufacturing hub, the Australian Space Park – an initiative of the South Australian Government which will enable space companies to collaborate and manufacture small satellites and rockets at scale.

Fleet Space Technologies chief executive officer and co-founder Flavia Tata Nardini said the expansion reaffirms the company’s commitment to growing the business and creating more highly-skilled jobs in South Australia.

“Everyone at Fleet Space Technologies is proud to be part of the extraordinary ecosystem of leading companies, academic institutions and innovators that are driving South Australia’s status as a global centre of excellence in new space technology,” she said.

The expansion follows a number of recent wins for the company, including successfully raising significant capital funding in an oversubscribed Series B round which concluded in November 2021. The funding round brought the company’s value to $126 million (AUD) and was underpinned by a group of leading venture capitalists and institutions in Australia and the United States.

Fleet also recently launched revolutionary new space technology, ExoSphere – satellite enabled earth scanning technology for the global mineral exploration industry. The technology is already transforming the way Australian and global mineral explorers find the critical energy transition materials required to meet surging global demand for Electric Vehicles.

From its base in Adelaide, Fleet has pioneered the use of additive manufacturing (3D printing) to drive cost and production efficiencies in the manufacture of satellites. This includes Fleet’s planned constellation of 288 microsatellites, including Alpha, which will integrate the company’s advanced beamforming technology and patented antennas to unlock greater connectivity more quickly and in more locations.

South Australian Deputy Premier and Minister for Defence and Space Industries Susan Close attended the official opening and congratulated the company on its successful expansion and continued growth, which is strengthening Australia’s sovereign space capability and positioning our state as a leading player in the global space market.

“South Australia is proud to be home to a thriving space ecosystem consisting of innovative companies, like Fleet, that are pushing the frontiers of smart technologies and creating new hi-tech jobs for South Australians,” she said.

“Fleet is doing amazing work to speed up decarbonisation through its innovative ExoSphere earth scanning technology.

“It’s these innovations, nurtured within an ecosystem of private companies and leading academic institutions that will drive the benefits of space technology to all our citizens.”