TRANSFORMING INDUSTRIES. CHANGING THE WORLD.
Australia’s vast natural resources have made it a global economic powerhouse. But with worldwide demand for minerals soaring, and finding new sources is becoming ever more complex and costly, our nation’s biggest industry urgently needs a radical new approach.
One potential solution is seismic imaging. The method used in oil and gas prospecting relies on ‘active’ seismic sources such as vibrating trucks or explosives, which are expensive and difficult to use in remote or environmentally sensitive areas. In contrast, ‘passive’ seismic imaging uses surface arrays, which don’t cause physical damage to the land. Problem is, this method generates immense quantities of data that computers simply haven’t been able to handle.
But at Fleet Space Technologies, we’ve found the solution. We call it ExoSphere.
Developed and built in Adelaide, ExoSphere is a true world first and currently the only system of its kind in existence. Lightweight, easily portable seismic sensors called Geodes collect data up to 2km below the Earth’s surface, using ambient noise tomography (ANT). They then transmit data to our constellation of Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites, which relay it to computers that generate detailed 3D subsurface maps via machine learning. Unlike traditional prospecting, which can take years, the whole process can be completed in just four days.
ExoSphere allows small teams to map vast amounts of land accurately, with little to no disturbance – and by cross-referencing with environmental surveys, they can focus on locations that will minimise ecological damage. It’s currently in use and planned to be deployed with over 20 customers scattered across Australia and North America.
And at the same time as transforming an established industry, we’re helping to build a new one. The space sector presents huge opportunities, and we believe it could have a profound impact on Australia’s economy in future. We’re at the forefront of this revolution, as the global leader in Micro Satellite digital beamforming for low power wide area networks. We produced the world’s first 3D-printed, all-metal patch antenna, and are currently developing our fully 3D-printed Alpha satellite.
The Government of South Australia shares our vision. Its ambition is to position SA as ‘the Space State’ – and it’s backing it with multi million dollar investment in projects including Adelaide Space Park. As Australia’s first dedicated space manufacturing hub, this was a natural location for us to set up our headquarters and production facility, which now employs over 80 people.
Today, Adelaide is at the heart of a growing ecosystem of innovative companies, creating a new ‘space value chain’ for satellite and rocket manufacturers and other aerospace enterprises. We’re proud to call it home.
