Space Angel wins $1.75m WA grant for
Western Australia awards Space Angel a $1.75 million grant to develop plans for a commercial spaceport, funding site assessments and a business case.
Space Angel has secured a $1.75 million grant from the Western Australian Government to advance its plans for a spaceport. The Spaceport Establishment Support Grant was announced by Science and Innovation Minister Stephen Dawson.
Ram Kuppusamy, Space Angel Founder and Chief Executive Officer, called the selection a milestone. He stated the funding would finance the next stage of detailed work for the company's Western Australian spaceport proposal.
"This is an important vote of confidence in the work required to determine what a commercially viable, safe and globally competitive spaceport in Western Australia could look like," Kuppusamy said.
"The funding allows Space Angel to undertake the critical site assessments and develop a business case with the level of rigour that infrastructure of this scale demands."
He thanked the government for its confidence and broader commitment to developing the state's space industry.
Grant Details and Process
The Spaceport Grant is part of the Western Australian Government's $2 million Made in WA commitment to accelerate local space industry capability. Space Angel's funding was awarded through an open and competitive process.
In parallel, the state government is conducting a separate feasibility study to identify additional potential spaceport locations across Western Australia.
Minister Dawson said a spaceport could create broader economic opportunities. "A spaceport would help attract investment, support high-skilled jobs, and create new opportunities for Western Australian businesses to participate in the global space economy," he stated.
Market Context and State Advantages
The Western Australian Government estimates the global space launch services market exceeds US$15 billion. It projects annual growth of approximately 15 percent.
Kuppusamy argued Western Australia's established strengths provide a strong foundation. He cited the state's resources sector, engineering, logistics, technology, and major infrastructure expertise.
"Western Australia has decades of experience delivering complex projects in some of the world's most remote and demanding environments," Kuppusamy said.
"That capability, supported by our engineering expertise, logistics networks, technology sector and resources supply chain, gives Western Australia a compelling foundation from which to study the development of space infrastructure."
Space Angel will progress the grant-funded work in consultation with the government. The work will proceed in accordance with relevant planning and regulatory requirements. The company is a Perth-based space infrastructure firm developing Australian capability across launch, re-entry, range, and testing.
