Auspace
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Aerospace |
| Predecessor | Hawker de Havilland Australia and SA Matra Espace (partnership) |
| Founded | June 7, 1982 |
| Fate | Acquired by Nova Group in 2007; fully absorbed into two10degrees Ltd by 2019 |
| Headquarters | Australia |
| Products | Aerospace instruments and satellites (including Endeavour satellite) |
Auspace Pty Ltd was an Australian company in the aerospace sector, established on 7 June 1982 as a partnership between Hawker de Havilland Australia and SA Matra Espace. It played a significant role as a contractor for the Keating National Space Program from 1986 through 1996.
In 2007, the Nova Group acquired Auspace, and by 2019, it had been fully absorbed into the two10degrees Ltd. subsidiary.
History
Before the inception of the National Space Program, Auspace was already a prominent contributor within the Australian space industry, overseeing parts of the multi-million dollar UV-optical space telescope Starlab initiative. This project, conducted in partnership with the Department of Industry, Technology and Commerce, laid the foundation for Auspace’s influential involvement in the National Space Program starting in 1986.
Auspace secured 28% of the total funding allocated under the National Space Program, ranking second after British Aerospace Australia. The firm was responsible for creating instruments for organizations such as CSIRO, Hispasat, and Locstar, among other ventures.
In December 1988, ownership of Auspace transferred to Plessey Australia. After Plessey declared bankruptcy later that year, control passed to Matra Marconi Space.
The Endeavour satellite, constructed by Auspace, was launched in 1992 but initially did not fulfill its mission objectives; it was later successfully relaunched in 1995.
The 2007 acquisition by Nova Group represented a strategic move to consolidate Australia's aerospace industry. Subsequently, Auspace’s activities were integrated into two10degrees by 2019.