Lunar Boomerang Mission

In 2025, the Lunar Ascent Ride Share Program ‘Boomerang’ will use the Australian-build Optimus orbital transport vehicle (OTV) to rendezvous with, capture, and return dangerous debris from Lunar Orbit to Earth. Along the way, it will carry Australian payloads to Lunar Orbit for testing and development of Lunar Exploration, Communications and Situational Awareness infrastructure, before bringing them back to Earth.

Our aim is to be the first to demonstrate responsible space operations around the Cis-Lunar environment: the first to bring Lunar space junk back to Earth and the first to have a zero footprint goal. Along the way, we will maximise the use of Australian space capabilities as much as possible to uplift emerging Australian space companies and capabilities, and inspire the nation.

Our visions is a nation inspired to audacity, to tackling big, wicked problems using advanced technologies. We want space tech to be as true-blue, dinky-di as and technology we use to protect and nurture life on Earth. We aspire to a future where a competitive and dynamic Australian Space Industry is at the heart of a growing, sustainable Lunar and Space Infrastructure Economy, for the benefit of life on Earth.

Through industry-driven, public-engaged lunar missions that demonstrate Australian Space Capability, our goals are to:

  • Qualify an Australian Orbital Transfer Vehicle to Deliver Rideshare Payload Missions to Lunar Orbit from Low Earth Orbit (LEO).

  • Demonstrate Capture of Space Junk Using Advanced Electromagnetic and Robotic Technologies

  • Showcase Next-Generation Mission Planning, Control and Operations Capabilities for Orbital Logistics, Space Junk Rendezvous and Capture, and cis-Lunar Missions.

 

Boomerang Mission Overview

“Optimus”, an Orbital Transport from Space Machines Company will provide the transportation, manoevering and primary communication backbone of the mission.

Autonomous rendezvous and capture-at-a-distance technologies will be used to capture and hold space junk.

Payloads and Nanosatellites from Australian Companies, Organizations, Universities and Government will be deployed into desired Lunar Orbits to carry out their missions.

Lunar Mission Control back on Earth will provide operational support for Optimus and al