FedSat, an Australian research micro-satellite, is being procured by the CRCSS (Cooperative Research Centre on Satellite Systems). The satellite will be integrated and operated by the CRCSS, a collaborative effort by twelve Australian universities, companies and government agencies with laboratories in six states and territories. The equipment will be provided by SIL (Space Innovation Limited) of Newbury, England, a wholly owned subsidiary of SpaceDev.

"After an intense international competition and careful consideration by the Australian government, the choice of SIL to build the FedSat bus indicates SIL has arrived in terms of being a competitor on a global scale. We are very pleased with the decision and look forward to working with CRCSS to make their mission a success," said Jim Benson, Chairman and CEO of SpaceDev.

"I believe that mastery of space and space technology will be extremely important in the next century in terms of job creation and economic stimulation." Mr. Benson added, "After recent visits to Australia and the award of the contract, I see Australia's interest in space is growing, and SpaceDev hopes to collaborate closely with CRCSS over the next few years to help foster this important development."

"This new scientific satellite will promote Australian space engineering and scientific research." The Honorable Nick Minchin, the Minister for Industry, Science and Resources Centre, said today, "This project and the Space Activities Act we introduced last year, show that the government has strong faith in the important role space will play in Australia's future."

Minister Minchin approved the contract for the supply of a satellite platform or bus, together with its ground control system, for the FedSat experimental micro-satellite that will celebrate Australian scientific and technical capability in 2001, the Centenary of Federation.

"This contract represents a major milestone for the CRCSS," said its Executive Director, Dr. Brian Embleton. "We were established just 13 months ago, with a charter to develop low-cost space projects relevant to Australian business, education and research needs. FedSat will be the first satellite developed in Australia in thirty years, and it will allow a new generation of space engineers, scientists and businesses to acquire experience and to develop new products and services that customers can afford."

This view was echoed by SIL's Marketing Director, Kim Ward, who stressed the importance of the contract award to the company, "We see the FedSat project as a vital next step in SIL's growth. It is gives us the opportunity to establish strong relationships with a number of important organizations in Australia and to demonstrate to the space community the potential of our advanced 3-axis stabilized spacecraft bus to many different mission applications in the future."

The FedSat satellite is scheduled to be launched during the last quarter of the year 2000, in good time to participate in celebrations marking the centennial of the Australian Federation in mid-2001. The 58 Kg spacecraft, Australia's first satellite mission of the new millennium, will carry experiments for navigation, magnetic field measurement, profiling the Earth's atmosphere, and testing new space computers and new satellite communications technologies. It will be placed into orbit some 800 Km above the Earth and should operate for up to three years.

SIL, acquired in 1998 by SpaceDev, is a space products company specializing in design and manufacture of inexpensive satellite subsystems and turnkey mini- and micro-satellites.

SpaceDev's capabilities include mission and spacecraft design as well as construction of small satellites, ground stations, spacecraft subsystems, and launch vehicles; plus aerospace design and analysis services. Headquartered in San Diego, SpaceDev is a Colorado chartered corporation with additional sales offices in Washington, DC.