The launch will see Black Sky drive the production of capable sovereign-scaled rocket motor and defence systems.

Black Sky said it is “reimagining how rockets are designed, developed, and manufactured at scale.”

As a local producer of ammonium perchlorate (AP)—crucial to conventional solid rocket motors used in aerospace and defence industries—Black Sky produces solid rocket propellant and motors, and offers its homegrown, proprietary Wagtail Rocket Assisted Take-Off (RATO) technology for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) and drones.

Cortex1, Black Sky’s proprietary software platform, underpins all aspects of its operations, from research and development and manufacturing to powering products and platforms, including launch control, tracking, and mapping through data-driven propellant formulation and characterisation technology using artificial intelligence.

“At Black Sky, complex rocket manufacturing is done with a high degree of innovation, security, and safety but at much lower cost than others. This has the potential to save Australia and our allies billions of dollars and ensure taxpayer funds can be utilised in other areas,” claims Black Sky co-founder and industry veteran Blake Nikolic.

Black Sky co-founder Dr Vu Tran, who also co-founded technology startup Go1, said Black Sky will help secure and strengthen local defence supply chains and reduce Australia’s dependence on external jurisdictions.

“Australia spends $50-$55 billion on defence each year yet we’re lucky to have just one company in the top 100 list of defence suppliers. Black Sky aims to change that,” Dr Tran said.

“Having sovereign defence capability will help Australia achieve greater efficiency and resilience in the delivery of defence technologies, and in our ability to protect the nation.”

Dr Tran highlighted the benefits of manufacturing locally.

“This includes lower geopolitical risks, increased operational transparency, regulatory compliance alignment, intellectual property protection, enhanced ability to customise products, less dependence on international suppliers, reduced exposure to global supply chain disruptions, faster time to market and quality control—with a predictable cost structure.”

“It also encourages the growth of local businesses while building a skilled workforce to develop a consistent pipeline of local talent with proximity and access to local R&D institutions,” Dr Tran said.

Black Sky Industries, formerly known as Black Sky Aerospace, is Australia’s only sovereign developer and supplier of solid rocket propellant and solid rocket motors to the defence sector.

Black Sky has ambitions of creating hundreds of advanced manufacturing and defence industry jobs over the next decade.

Recent key hires at the company include former L3Harris Technologies director David Johnson as general manager, enterprise development and defence innovation veteran Stephen Delo.