Equatorial Space Systems sends green space innovations to the stars

A satellite equipped with a hybrid-engine rocket blasts off just outside Darwin, bursting through the Earth’s atmosphere with a velocity exceeding 40,000 kilometres per hour. But this isn’t just any old rocket; it’s a gamechanger. Unlike its predecessors and competitors, this rocket is the greenest in the world – sent out to space from Australian soil.

The Dorado rocket is a next-level technology and the brainchild of Singapore’s Equatorial Space Systems (ESS). It’s one of 3 important creations the firm has introduced to the world. Now, thanks to US$1 million from Paspalis Capital, with participation from the Northern Territory’s Government’s Territory Growth Initiative, there are more innovations on the horizon.

Just 44 days after receiving the initial investment, ESS conducted its first hot-firing test at the Hidden Valley Facility in the Northern Territory.

ESS co-founder and CEO Simon Gwozdz says the investment has helped ESS push the limits for putting the company’s low-cost, safe and eco-friendly space launch equipment to the test.

‘The investment by Paspalis, coupled with the community and ecosystem support was instrumental in support of the company’s R&D program,’ he says. ‘It marks the first dedicated static firing facility that we have access to 24/7. It helped us speed up our development cycle and advance towards our first space launches slated for the coming months.’

Australia offers ideal launchpad

ESS’s hybrid rocket propulsion technology is cost-effective, safe and environmentally friendly – reducing greenhouse gas emissions by up to 60%. Although new to the aerospace sector, the firm has already secured millions in funding from investors in the US, Australia and the Middle East.

ESS secured early backing as a startup at the National University of Singapore’s incubator “The Hangar”. It has since won a space innovation prize in Dubai, multiple kick-starter investment boosters, and employed a renowned rocket propulsion inventor – all in under a decade.

To progress its work, ESS conducts hot-firing – a type of rocket-testing activity that’s difficult to execute in Singapore’s limited land and air space. So, ESS looked further afield.

The firm had its eye set on Australia right from the start.

‘Darwin’s conditions and support made it possible to go from zero to ignition in weeks,’ says Gwozdz. ‘It’s an ideal testbed to push the limits of space propulsion technology.’

ESS conducted its first hot-firing test in Australia at the at the Hidden Valley Facility in the Northern Territory.

Collaboration transits the top end

Austrade has had its hand close to the firm’s launch button since 2021, providing ESS with tailored market insights and introductions to government and private sector bodies and high-level investors.

The Northern Territory’s government representative in Singapore also played an important role in supporting the firm’s journey into Australia, including making a crucial introduction to the Darwin Innovation Hub (DIH).

A landing pad and collaborative space for global innovators, DIH has been scouting emerging innovators in the advanced manufacturing and engineering sector – hoping to secure new partnerships to bring innovators to Australia as its ground control.

The ESS global team of 20 staff established an Australian subsidiary and secured a site in Darwin’s Hidden Valley for hot-firing. A dedicated workshop for staging and assembly based in Winnellie will support ESS rocket launch activities. The firm is setting its gaze on the local job market – generating new opportunities for Australians advancing the sector.

Australia’s Northern Territory is emerging as a test-bed for the Asia-Pacific’s deep-tech sector – providing an ideal environment for advanced manufacturing and engineering startups to test, refine, and scale their innovations. Being so close to the equator, Australia’s top-end states are also optimal for rocket launches – enabling testers to use less fuel to reach orbit and carry heavier payloads.

‘The cutting-edge work by companies like Atomionics and ESS shows the Northern Territory is a great place to test and grow innovation,’ says Northern Territory Minister for Trade, Business and Asian Relations Robyn Cahill OAM. ‘We have deep industry links across mining, exploration, maritime and defence — and that’s a powerful platform for any technology company looking to validate and scale.’

ESS’s choice of the Northern Territory as its hub for testing activities is set to enhance Australia’s reputation as a world-class testbed of space technology. Its unique rocket propulsion technology will form part of Australia’s established space ecosystem – which includes satellite technologies, rocket launch platforms, space-ride capabilities, availability of launch sites for polar and equatorial orbit, space debris removal, ground stations, manufacturing and earth observation.

Space is a priority sector in Invested: Australia’s Southeast Asia Economic Strategy to 2040. ESS is now a champion for big space tech wins in both Singapore and Australia.

How Austrade helped

Austrade’s onshore and Singapore-based team is working hard to deliver for ESS on its next investment steps in the Northern Territory.

Austrade Singapore has been working with the Northern Territory Government’s in-country representative since 2021, supporting ESS’s investment journey to Australia. Austrade collected market insights on the Australian space sector for ESS, facilitated targeted stakeholder networking, and organised visa routes for ESS staff working in Australia.

A key touchpoint in ESS’s journey was when Austrade introduced the firm to Darwin Innovation Hub and Paspalis Capital – culminating in the investment that helped it pivot to the Northern Territory.

‘Austrade has served as a point of contact to all key stakeholders in the NT Government ecosystem,’ says Gwozdz. ‘This allowed us to make rapid advancement in our setup in the Territory, while offering priceless insights into the process.’

Find out more about opportunities in Australia’s space sector.