$252m satellite contract kicks off next stage of SouthPAN

A new, $252 million agreement between Geoscience Australia and communications company Inmarsat Australia marks significant progress in the delivery of the Southern Positioning Augmentation Network (SouthPAN), according to Minister for Resources and Northern Australia Madeleine King.

SouthPAN is a satellite-based augmentation system that is set to enable more accurate and reliable satellite positioning services throughout Australia and New Zealand, providing the precision needed to support sectors including aviation, maritime, agriculture, surveying and emergency response. For example, it can be used in agriculture through applications like precision spraying, yield mapping, controlled traffic farming, inter-row seeding and livestock management; and can improve safety on mine and construction sites by accurately identifying the location of workers operating vehicles and heavy machinery.

The Australian Government has committed $1.4 billion over 19 years towards the establishment and sustainment of SouthPAN, which is being delivered by Geoscience Australia in partnership with Toitū Te Whenua Land Information New Zealand. Inmarsat Australia, which has since combined with Viasat, won the first contract in 2023 to deliver a satellite payload for SouthPAN; the new agreement covers the continuation of services from satellites as well as a new payload to be carried on one of Inmarsat’s I-8 constellation of satellites.

“This new agreement ensures we will have a robust, reliable satellite service working with our network of ground infrastructure to provide accurate precise positioning across the country and our maritime zones,” King said.

Early SouthPAN services have been available since 2022, but the new contract means SouthPAN is one step closer to being certified as a safety-of-life service for aviation, which is expected from 2028. This capability would mean SouthPAN can be used in safety-critical operations where life could be at risk, such as medivac flights in a wider range of weather conditions.

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