Funding of up to 100 million Australian dollars ($US 51 million) is expected to be provided under new funding initiatives by Australia to boost high technology exports.

The funding agreement follows the signing of a bilateral space activities agreement with the Russian government in late May.

At the time of signing the bilateral agreement May 23, the Australian trade minister Senator Nick Minchin said the Agreement represented a major step for Australia, adding "It declares our intention to become a major player in the international space industry and consolidates our position with Russia in the face of intense interest from a range of other countries."

The decision to fund the project follows a hiatus of over thirty years that saw successive Australian governments pay little attention to the space sector despite its pioneering participation in the early British and American space programs at Woomera in South Australia.

The Asia Pacific Space Centre project will represent the first dedicated commercial deployment of a wholly Russian launch vehicle outside Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States.

Senator Minchin previously forecast that, "the industry is expected to contribute up to $2.5 billion to the balance of payments through till 2010 and to generate several thousand new jobs over the coming decade."

Adding, "As all of the proposed launch sites are based outside of the major metropolitan areas, significant benefits will also accrue to regional Australia."

In a report carried by ABC News Online on Saturday, the government owned news network said Asia Pacific Space Centre and the Australian Government would formally announce the development this weekend.

Mr Kwon and government ministers met community representatives on Friday, to discuss the project. The ABC reported a local businessman Phil Oakley, who was at the meeting, as saying "the good news has been traveling quickly around the island."

In March, the Russian Government approved co-development of the a launch vehicle dubbed "Aurora" that would operated and marketed by APSC.

APSC has formed an international consortium with its Russian partners that include the Russian Aviation and Space Agency, RSC Energia, Samara Central Specialized Design Bureau and Progress Plant ("TsSKB-Progress") and the Design Bureau of General Machine Building ("KBOM"), each of which has significant experience in producing and launching the most reliable and successful rockets into space.

The Aurora Rocket Space Complex will feature the adaptation of proven Russian launch system hardware. Aurora launch vehicle includes both three- and four-stage versions designed to enable delivery of payloads to LEO, GTO, and GEO from one launch facility.

Using the three-stage configuration, up to 12 metric tons will be delivered to low earth orbit, with inclinations ranging from 10 to 110 degrees. In its four-stage configuration, Aurora is capable of delivering 4.5 metric tons of payload to geostationary transfer orbit at 11 degrees inclination and over 2 metric tons direct to geostationary orbit.

Aurora is built around the use of four strap-on liquid oxygen-kerosene boosters and a core stage using the NK-33 propulsion system. An enhanced variant of the BLOCK-E (Stage 3) powered by the RD-0124 engine, and a derivative of the Russian BLOCK-DM stage called Corvet (Upper Stage) complete the design.

The Corvet is a liquid oxygen-kerosene powered upper stage using one 11D58M engine manufactured by NPO Voronezh. The Corvet carries up to 10 mt of propellant and is capable of interfacing with known commercial satellite buses using Aurora's 4.1 meter external diameter payload fairing.

"Aurora offers very low development risk by relying on the heritage and flight experience of programs such as Molniya, Soyuz, Energia and Proton'. Through the use of reliable Russian technology, aggressive marketing and a total commitment to customer requirements, APSC will provide an attractive alternative to existing launch service providers," Kwon said earlier this year.

The first commercial launch is planned for the last quarter of 2003. APSC is currently negotiating with a number of potential major satellite users. After introduction, manufacturing and launch rates are projected to ramp up to as many as 15 launches per year by 2006.

Related Links
Asia Pacific Space Centre
SpaceDaily
Search SpaceDaily
Subscribe To SpaceDaily Express

Thanks for being here; We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain. With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords. Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year. If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Contributor $5 Billed Once credit card or paypal		SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter $5 Billed Monthly paypal only