AUSTRALIA IN SPACE
launch vehicles can rapidly transfer consignments
in geographically far-off places. In the 1960s, the United Kingdom had to use Australia. Russia, is in a tenuous relationship with Kazakhstan, the European Union’s option is located in Guiana. Many countries are in commercial relationships with United States’ based companies. The United States’ connection also includes Rocket Lab’s operations in New Zealand, at its Mahia Launch Complex (Spaceport) on the East coast of the North Island.
from one Launch Facility to another.
FUTURE ISSUES
China and potentially Australia have the advantage of multiple launch options, spread over a large geographical area. China’s use of a suite of compatible
DEPENDENCY At the end of WW2, two countries: soon to be the World’s Superpowers were able to leverage captured German V2 rocket technology, to achieve reaching a new strategic frontier, the ability to circumnavigate the Earth with a Space vehicle. Having a Sovereign Space-Launch Capability was an historical accident that came about due to, “the military quest for ultra-long-range rockets that has provided man with new machinery so powerful that it can readily put satellites in orbit” (White House, 1958). Space Dependency was a later development. As Space Launching Capability proliferated, countries began to develop Sovereign Space-Launch Capability. The United Kingdom example from the 1960s, is one well-documented case, where as a national strategy it opted for Dependency on the United States to meet its needs to get into Space, and this led to merging its Space Capabilities into first the European Common Market, and later the European Union. The Brexit Era has seen a return to building in the United Kingdom several Sovereign Space-Launch Capabilities, spread over a number of Spaceports located on the British Isles. Countries seeking to developed Space-Based Economies are sometimes locked into permanent Dependency relationships, with others that have Sovereign Space-Launch Capabilities. The Dependent country does not have the ability to build a rocket industry, or do not have access to an optimal geographical site to launch from. The recent debacle over Roscosmos’ withdrawing its role in international Space operations, brought about by sanctions, and counter-sanctions over the Russian invasion of Ukraine illustrates a key aspect of Dependency. Ideally, due to its role in the International Space Station, and ongoing launch schedules, the strategic course should have been declaring Roscosmos having a ‘detente-status’ contained away from the conflict. Instead, a phony Space twitter war was declared, and the Roscosmos Director ordered ‘V’ and ‘Z’ symbols painted on various Baikonur Cosmodrome facilities, and on a rocket that was launched. The Roscosmos debacle emphasised a key vulnerability in current Space Launching Operations, namely Dependency on a particular launch option. The Roscosmos debacle effected launch windows for OneWeb internet satellites, ExoMars rover mission, and several other European Space Agency planned missions. Dependency relationships underpins the ‘working side’ of Space Launching Operations. Not all countries have Space rockets, launch facilities, or these are located
38 | Australia in Space Magazine
Sudden Space-Launch Industry growth, and proliferation of various proprietary rocket designs has led to configuration problems, where consignments are being designed for specific rocket types. To date, a variety of bespoke launch facility options, include the practice, where whole Spaceports are largely being built to service a particular rocket design. The commercial impetus is that the existence of a Spaceport is largely dictated by its exclusive commercial arrangements with a specific Launch Provider. However, political crisis, bad weather, and rocket malfunctions remain a bar to a successful launch schedule. China and potentially Australia have the advantage of multiple launch options, spread over a large geographical area. China’s use of a suite of compatible launch vehicles can rapidly transfer consignments from one Launch Facility to another. The ability, ‘to outrun bad weather’ or move between various geographical positions has been the major driver of launch strategies based on using Sea-Based launching by Russia, China, and SpaceX developing floating ex-oil rigs as launching platforms; Black Arrow (United Kingdom) developing a ship launching platform; and South Korea’s use of a jack-up ex-oil rig as a launching platform. Strategic pressure to find optimal Launch Points on the Earth’s surface, will lead to massive international competition, and countries with premium Land-Based options may have other countries place their Sovereign Space-Launch Capability there, if they want it or not.
