French orbital rockets to launch from Arnhem Space Centre Australia in 2026

ADELAIDE, Australia, Sept. 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Leading French rocket company, Sirius Space Services (Sirius), has signed with Equatorial Launch Australia (ELA) for a multi-year, multi-launch contract from the Arnhem Space Centre (ASC) during World Space Business Week conference in Paris, France overnight.

The agreement will see Sirius become a 'Resident Launcher' at the spaceport from 2025, taking up their own Space Launch Complex (SLC) for the term of their contract.

The campaign will begin with the development and test flights of SIRIUS 1 in 2026 followed by launches of the larger SIRIUS 13 (800kg payload capacity) in 2027.

"I'm delighted to announce this contract with Sirius today," said ELA's CEO Michael Jones. "Sirius will become the second resident launcher at the Arnhem Space Centre which means they will leverage ELA's advanced commercial spaceport concept, and our full suite of launch services."

The flexibility to access a range of orbits, including medium and low inclination, SSO and equatorial, as well as ELA's extensive launch services were key to the decision by Sirius.

"It was key for Sirius to have the ability to access unique orbit options to service their clients and we are probably the only place on the planet that could provide all their requirements," said Jones.

Sirius has selected Space Launch Complex No.3 or 'Le Mans'. The Le Mans SLC will have a dedicated 45m x 26m x 12m high Horizontal Integration Facility (HIF) with ISO 8 vertical payload integration clean room with its own full span, 20T gantry crane. Le Mans SLC also has two ASC Advanced Launch Pads (ASCALP™) where one will be fully developed with the ability to accommodate Sirius' three variants of rocket, SIRIUS 1, SIRIUS 13 and, in future, the large 4 booster SIRIUS 15 variant. The other will be part-developed as a back-up.

The agreement marks the second 'Resident Launcher' contract for ELA.

"We are currently in the final stages of negotiation with three more launchers about our resident launch contracts, so our remaining orbital complexes are filling fast," said Jones.

François Maroquene-Froissart, Co-founder & CTO of Sirius Space Services said, "Our decision to select ELA was driven by their advanced commercial spaceport concept, which includes state-of-the-art infrastructure, innovative commercial offerings, and exceptional customer service and support. ELA's commitment to safety, operational excellence, and service aligns with our mission to deliver agile and competitive launch solutions to our global clientele," he said.