The ESS testing was conducted at the National Space Test Facility at the Australian National University in Canberra.

The testing confirms Kanyini’s ability to withstand harsh conditions in space.

Fully manufactured in Adelaide's Lot Fourteen, Kanyini underwent two weeks of challenging trials including exposing the satellite to extreme temperature variations, intense vibrations, and crushing vacuum conditions.

The satellite remained fully operational throughout the extensive testing.

The completion of the testing coupled with the conclusion of Kanyini’s full system review sees the South Australian-based mission team embarking on the final manufacturing phase for launch.

Once in orbit, Kanyini’s dual IoT and imager payloads will deliver critical space data to be used by government and research institutions to expand their knowledge, particularly in relation to sustainability and climate impacts.

The enhanced onboard processing capability of the Hyperscout 2 imager, together with advanced artificial intelligence algorithms supports decision-making for time-critical applications such as smoke detection for bushfires and a range of other services.

The Kanyini mission is a collaboration between the South Australian Government, the SmartSat Cooperative Research Centre as mission lead, Adelaide-based commercial satellite manufacturer Inovor Technologies, and global IoT provider Myriota.

Kanyini will be launched onboard SpaceX’s Transporter-11 mission from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, US.

This first appeared in the subscription newsletter CommsWire on 15 March  2024.