A new ISO Class 6 cleanroom developed by Edith Cowan University (ECU) and space technology company LC60 AI has begun operations in Western Australia.
The cleanroom provides a controlled environment for the assembly of commercial Earth observation satellites.
The facility will support the build of the first satellite in LC60 AI’s planned Short Wave Infra-Red Satellite (SWIRSAT) constellation.
Built to ISO Class 6 standards, the cleanroom has been designed to meet the environmental controls required for the assembly of sensitive satellite electronics and optical systems.
The facility received AU$3.5m (USD $2.5m) in funding from the Western Australian Government and forms part of a wider strategy to develop local expertise in satellite assembly, integration and testing.
According to ECU, the cleanroom was upgraded through collaboration between LC60 engineers and the university’s technical teams to meet the contamination control requirements associated with spacecraft manufacturing.
Within weeks of opening, the facility is scheduled to begin installation of a high-resolution short-wave optical payload into a satellite ahead of launch.
The Short Wave Infra-Red Satellite (SWIRSAT) constellation is expected to comprise between nine and 18 Australian-built Earth observation satellites.
As assembly capability develops, future satellites are expected to be built at ECU.
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