SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, 17th Sept 2024 Rhea Space Activity (RSA), a leader in autonomous navigation and quantum communication technology, announces the launch of its Australian subsidiary, Rhea Space Activity AU Pty Ltd.
This milestone underscores RSA’s commitment to supporting AUKUS by developing an Australian sovereign maritime variant of RSA’s GPS-denied navigation technology, the Jervis Autonomy Module (JAM). JAM will enhance subsea and surface warfare capabilities, marking a significant advancement in regional defense technology.
“RSA initially developed our GPS-denied navigation technology for deep space missions, and we are thrilled to adapt this advanced capability for the deep ocean environment within the INDOPACOM theater,” said Cameo Lance, Physicist, COO of RSA US and Director of RSA Australia LTD. “Our active involvement in various AUKUS initiatives in the US and with RSA UK in Edinburgh underscores our mission to expand our GPS-denied capabilities in Australia, address evolving threats in the Indo-Pacific region, and commitment to enhancing defense technology.”
JAM provides navigation for land, air, space, and sea domains independent from GPS by capturing images of celestial objects. The technology combines algorithms with deep space flight heritage and state-of-the-art optics to enable mission-critical navigation. RSA has two NASA lunar missions scheduled to fly JAM in 2026.
“In Australia’s complex security landscape, any new system reliant on GPS must incorporate JAM,” stated Robert Fardi, Global Strategy Advisor, RSA US. “Given the growing concerns over regional stability, we’ve experienced the severe consequences when GPS is disrupted or inaccessible. RSA’s JAM solution is adaptable for both government and commercial applications, ensuring reliable performance across all operational settings in Australia and the wider Indo-Pacific region.”
RSA’s expansion into Australia and its existing office in the UK also support the company’s government efforts in developing capabilities to support AUKUS priorities. RSA Australia has been competitively downselected to present at the upcoming Pitch Day hosted by the Australian Strategic Capability Accelerator (ASCA) to be held at the Australian Defence Science Technology and Research Summit on September 18. RSA Australia’s Melanie Bushby, Program Manager, and Cameo Lance will jointly present a vision for installing RSA’s deep space JAM product on Australia’s Collins class submarine.
“We are developing a sovereign Australian maritime version of JAM tailored for several Australian military platforms and look forward to presenting our concept to ASCA to enhance the Collins submarine’s navigation capabilities in GPS-denied areas,” said Bushby. “Integration into the Collins is just the beginning. By 2030, our aim is to not only integrate our technology into the nuclear-powered AUKUS submarines but also into various Australian surface warfare platforms, including the Hunter-class and Anzac-class frigates. We are eager to showcase our solution to ASCA, as ensuring these platforms can operate effectively in GPS-denied environments is crucial for strengthening Australia’s defense posture in the face of regional challenges.”