TOKYO — Australian spaceport operator Southern Launch has signed a commercial agreement with Japanese orbital logistics startup ElevationSpace to conduct spacecraft re-entry and recovery operations at the Koonibba Test Range in South Australia, the companies announced on Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2026.
The contract designates the South Australian test range as the primary overland recovery site for ElevationSpace’s uncrewed capsules returning experimental cargo and manufactured materials from low Earth orbit.
Commercial Re-Entry Corridor and Range Precedents
The agreement expands the commercial flight manifest at the Koonibba Test Range, which Southern Launch operates in partnership with the Koonibba Community Aboriginal Corporation. The 41,000-square-kilometer uninhabited overland corridor has evolved into a key hub for returning orbital materials, demonstrated by the touchdown of the Varda Space Industries W-6 capsule in South Australia earlier this year. With international operators seeking reliable overland recovery alternatives to ocean splashdowns, Southern Launch has expanded its customer base, following a long-term agreement with Varda Space for 20 spacecraft returns.
ELS-R200 Atmospheric Dynamics and Recovery Operations
Under the contract, Southern Launch will manage Australian regulatory approvals, airspace coordination, radar tracking, telemetry downlinks, and physical capsule retrieval in the outback. The initial targeted mission will feature ElevationSpace’s ELS-R200 spacecraft, developed in technical collaboration with Tohoku University and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA). The capsule will execute an autonomous de-orbit sequence, re-entering the upper atmosphere at velocities exceeding Mach 25 before deploying a multi-stage parachute system for a controlled overland landing. This overland capability complements ElevationSpace’s domestic maritime recovery operations planned for its maiden AOBA-1 satellite, providing global research and industrial customers with flexible return pathways.
Bilateral Space Engagement and In-Orbit Logistics Roadmap
“Launching technology into orbit is only part of the opportunity space provides,” said Lloyd Damp, Chief Executive Officer of Southern Launch. “Companies like ElevationSpace are creating the pathway to bring research, materials and discoveries from space back to Earth. This helps turn what happens in orbit into products and technologies that can benefit all of us.”
ElevationSpace Chief Executive Officer Ryohei Kobayashi noted that securing an Australian overland landing site allows the company to establish safe, high-frequency cargo return services ahead of the International Space Station’s planned decommissioning in 2030. Southern Launch and ElevationSpace will now coordinate with the Australian Space Agency to secure necessary return authorizations ahead of the maiden ELS-R200 re-entry campaign.
