INVERCARGILL, New Zealand, 26 July 2024 – Lockheed Martin Australia, in collaboration with Av-Comm, has established a satellite ground control and uplink processing centre for the Southern Positioning Augmentation Network (SouthPAN) in Awarua, near Invercargill, New Zealand.

The new centre was officially opened today by New Zealand’s Minister for Land Information, the Hon Chris Penk MP. Representatives from Toitū Te Whenua Land Information New Zealand, Aviation industry leaders and Av-Comm were in attendance, as well as members of the Lockheed Martin Australia leadership team.

Establishment of the New Zealand satellite ground control and uplink processing centre marks a significant achievement for the SouthPAN project.  SouthPAN is a collaborative initiative between Geoscience Australia and Toitū Te Whenua Land Information New Zealand to deliver Satellite-Based Augmentation System services to Australia, New Zealand and surrounding maritime area.

In 2022, Lockheed Martin Australia was awarded the AUD$1.18b, 19-year contract to deliver SouthPAN.

Strategically located in Awarua to leverage Southland's favourable geographic position for optimal satellite communication and coverage, the facility boasts two 11-metre satellite dishes and a control centre with dual radio frequency uplinks.

The SouthPAN system uses Lockheed Martin’s 2nd Generation Satellite-Based Augmentation System (SBAS) to improve the accuracy and reliability of global navigation satellite system positioning, such as GPS, across Australia and New Zealand. This capability benefits agriculture, aviation, construction, consumer, resource, road, rail, maritime, mining, utilities, and more.

Awarua is the second of two SouthPAN satellite ground control facilities built for the New Zealand and Australian Governments. The first opened at Uralla, New South Wales, Australia, in December 2023.

"This is a key achievement in our ongoing commitment to delivering enhanced satellite-based navigation systems that will have substantial economic and social benefits for the region," said David Ball, Regional Director of Space for Lockheed Martin Australia. "The new ground control and uplink processing centre in Awarua will play a pivotal role in increasing both the resilience and accuracy of satellite system positioning services across Australia and New Zealand as well as surrounding maritime areas."

"We are delighted to collaborate with Lockheed Martin Australia in delivering this critical piece of positioning infrastructure for the New Zealand and Australian Governments,” said Michael Cratt, Chief Executive Officer at Av-Comm. "Completion of the Awarua ground control system underscores our shared commitment to delivering robust state-of-the-art satellite infrastructure solutions."

The establishment of the SouthPAN ground control and uplink processing centre in Awarua represents a significant investment in New Zealand's space infrastructure and reinforces Lockheed Martin's dedication to supporting highly-skilled roles in regional centres.

About Lockheed Martin Australia

Headquartered in Canberra, Lockheed Martin Australia is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Lockheed Martin Corporation. The company employs more than 1,600 people in Australia working on a wide range of major programs spanning the aerospace, Defence and civil sectors.

Media Contact:

Joanne Hon, joanne.hon@lmco.com, +61 458 175 404