New Delhi: Space Machines Company (SMC) has been awarded a $2.9 million contract by the Australian Department of Defence’s Advanced Strategic Capabilities Accelerator (ASCA) to develop the Space Threat Analysis and Response System (STARS). The contract is part of ASCA’s Emerging and Disruptive Technologies Decision Advantage programme, which awarded 14 contracts totalling nearly $40 million to enhance decision-making across air, land, space, maritime and cyber domains. SMC is based in New South Wales. STARS is envisioned as an AI-powered autonomous system designed to improve space situational awareness and protect Australian space assets in contested low-Earth orbit environments. The system will be available for use by countries allied with Australia and cooperating with it in the space domain.
The STARS system will predict conjunctions or close flybys, rendezvous and proximity operation windows, and potential interference from other objects moving at up to 28,000 kmph. The system ingests data from ground-based space domain awareness networks and commercial providers to enable rapid analysis and response planning. Traditional manual processes often allow minutes for decisions, while STARS aims to deliver near realtime threat assessment, threat characteristics evaluation and prioritised response plans focused on Australian satellites and those of its satellites.
STARS to be operational in two years
The 24-month project will advance STARS from concept to a working prototype. On completion, SMC intends to integrate STARS into its Solstice OS command-and-control platform, which is used to manage spacecraft fleet, and provide support to on-demand orbital services. This will allow coordination of SMC’s Optimus Viper Rapid Response Vehicles for protective operations. SMC specialises in rapidly deployable, mass-produced spacecraft systems for orbital superiority with operations in Australia, the US, UK and India. It positions itself as the only non-US provider of coordinated swarm-based space domain awareness to democratic nations in the Indo-Pacific.
CEO and Co-Founder of Space Machines Company, Rajat Kulshrestha said, “The dynamic nature of the space environment demands automated systems capable of processing complex data and generating actionable intelligence at unprecedented speeds. STARS addresses a critical need for enhanced space domain awareness through autonomous analysis and response planning. By developing this sovereign capability in Australia, we are contributing to the resilience of the allied space defence industrial base whilst advancing the science and technology priorities outlined in the National Defence Strategy.”