Southern Launch has closed out a significant funding round that will propel the company forward to build out its spaceports and scale its service offerings. The funding round was led by a syndicate of prominent Australian infrastructure investors who recognize the unique capabilities that Southern Launch has to offer the global space and high-tech industries.
As a part of the funding round, leading space industry figure Jeremy Hallett has been appointed Chair to the Southern Launch board. He has 20 years’ experience as a Space and Defence executive with global expertise and networks in Space, Defence and Private Capital. Jeremy was previously CEO at Clearbox Systems and is currently Chairman at the Space Industry Association of Australia, Executive Director of Brindabella & Company and CEO of Atto Devices.
Southern Launch is focused on providing world-class services including orbital launch, sub orbital missions including hypersonic flight, orbital re-entries, and range services that support the testing of advanced technologies. Since securing final approvals for the Whalers Way Orbital Launch Complex south of Port Lincoln, Southern Launch has received ever increasing interest from the global market for the services the company provides.
Southern Launch CEO Lloyd Damp said, ‘We are seeing strong interest from around the world for the globally unique test ranges Southern Launch brings to the market. At our ranges we provide four distinct services that are highly sought after by domestic and international customers. We are excited that this funding round will build out our infrastructure as we increase our cadence of activities at our ranges, and highlight Australia as a global space and high-tech industry development hub. Securing Jeremy to the board will help accelerate our growth and be the leading provider of test ranges and associated services.’
The transaction was participated in and managed by Brindabella & Company, Australia’s specialist Defence Industry Merchant Bank. Investment from this funding round will be used to build out Southern Launch’s unique service offering and continue to mature infrastructure at the company’s two spaceports, the Koonibba Test Range which is the world’s largest commercial overland test range, and the overwater Whalers Way Orbital Launch Complex surrounded by low trafficked open ocean.
Southern Launch conducted the first commercial launch from Australian soil in 2020. Since then, the company has gone on to achieve many other firsts for the nation, including operating the first licensed space launch facilities in 2021, securing the first approvals to fly rockets into space in 2021, in 2024 the first high-powered rocket launch and most recently, in February 2025 the first ever commercial spacecraft re-entry and successful recovery to Australia.
About Southern Launch
Southern Launch provides bespoke mission services for orbital launch, sub-orbital missions including hypersonic flight, orbital re-entries and range services for the global space industry. Southern Launch provides an end-to-end service for missions including sourcing regulatory approval, managing logistics, coordinating range management and leading recovery operations. The company is headquartered in Adelaide and operates two world-class spaceports the Koonibba Test Range and Whalers Way Orbital Launch Complex. The Koonibba Test Range is the largest commercial rocket and air vehicle testing facility in the world. The range is used to launch sub-orbital missions including hypersonics, flight test drones and other long duration air vehicles, and is the leading global landing site for orbital re-entries for spacecraft.