Koonibba community
Australia's first people supporting Australia's first rocket launch facility
Working together to create Australia’s first rocket launch facility
The Koonibba Community Aboriginal Corporation and Southern Launch have partnered together to develop the Koonibba Test Range (KTR), Australia’s first licensed space launch facility. This world-class space launch facility will attract investment and opportunities from a global market.
The Koonibba Test Range is a 30-minute drive north-west of Ceduna in South Australia. The Koonibba Test Range is the largest overland suborbital rocket testing facility in the southern hemisphere.
The Koonibba Test Range extends up to 350 kilometres and covers over 41,000 square kilometres of uninhabited areas. The range provides customers with the opportunity to launch and recover rocket and satellite technologies. This is a critical step for companies to validate their rocket and satellite technology before launching into space and eventually orbit Earth.
The Koonibba Community Aboriginal Corporation and the local community have actively been involved in developing the Koonibba Test Range. The development of the range has also resulted in significant investment for the local Koonibba and Ceduna communities.
‘Working with Southern Launch in Koonibba is tremendous for our community. We benefit through employment opportunities and investment. Most importantly, our children and young people are inspired by the world of opportunities available to them when space is right on our doorstep.’
Corey McLennan, Chief Executive Officer of Koonibba Community Aboriginal Corporation
Benefits and opportunities
The establishment of the Koonibba Test Range has had far reaching benefits for the local Koonibba and Ceduna communities. Each launch brings significant investment to the local economy and employment opportunities for locals both directly and indirectly.
Southern Launch is developing a permanent launch facility in Koonibba and will employ local community members to maintain, manage and operate the facility.
Southern Launch and the Koonibba Community Aboriginal Corporation are also looking to develop an Astronomical Centre and Observatory on the Koonibba lands to create ongoing awareness of Australia’s First Nation people’s relationship with space and increase ongoing tourism to the region.
The development of this centre will help ensure Koonibba’s rich history with the stars is captured and preserved and help associated economic self-sufficiency from tourism for the small community.
Southern Launch is proud to be on this journey with the Koonibba community.
