The satellites were launched from Cape Canaveral in Florida. They were docked at the International Space Station earlier this month.

After these events, the Binar team from the Space Science Technology Centre in the School of Earth and Planetary Sciences gave astronauts the final order to release the satellites – known as CubeSats - at a special viewing event with Curtin staff and representatives from the Department of Jobs, Tourism, Science and Innovation.

The satellites are currently travelling at 28,000km/h, orbiting the Earth once every 90 minutes.

Their mission will end in nine to 12 months in a ball of flames as the satellites re-enter Earth’s atmosphere.

Before their fiery demise, the CubeSats will send data to CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency while WA-based company AVI will test its spacecraft communications system while the satellites are in orbit.

Binar principal investigator John Curtin and professor Phil Bland say the deployment was a significant milestone for the team and for WA’s contribution to the global space industry.

“These CubeSats are among the most advanced satellites in the world in their class and they were entirely designed and built in WA, carrying a WA industry payload,” Bland says.

Over the next 12 months, the Binar team plans to initiate a new project with bigger spacecraft and a WA-designed propulsion system.

Professor Bland says this new mission could be capable of providing daily updates for bushfire prediction and urban heat islands.

“The BinarX team will also work with students from nine WA high schools to build payloads to fly on the next mission.”

“When you combine all of these elements, it shows we have everything in place to support a thriving WA space ecosystem.”