NASA’s first rocket launch from a commercial spaceport outside the US

NASA's first rocket launch from a commercial spaceport outside the United States made a history at Australia’s Arnhem Space Centre. A Bl...

NASA's first rocket launch from a commercial spaceport outside the United States made a history at Australia’s Arnhem Space Centre. A Black Brant IX sub-orbital rocket carrying a X-ray Quantum Calorimeter (XQC) blasted off from the tiny site of north-east Arnhem Land on 26 June 2022. The 13m long rocket projectile felt on earth after 15 minutes from the launched. It was a successful mission. The launch was also notable in Australian soil since it is the first launch in more than 25 years.

From the recently built Arnhem Space Centre on the outskirts of the Northern Territory, near Nhulunbuy, a township on the Gove Peninsula, the rocket is the first of three being launched by NASA. X-ray Quantum Calorimeter will enable astrophysics studies in the Southern Hemisphere. It would assist research into how the light from a star impact the habitability of neighboring planets.

The data by from the X-ray camera would assist to bring the secrets of Alpha Centauri A and B, the closest double-star system to Earth. These stars is located just 4.3 light-years away.

Northern Territory Chief Minister Natasha said "Here on Yolngu land, young Territorians can look up at the sky and know what can be done".

The world's first and only equatorial launch site and commercially owned site is the Arnhem Space Centre. It also Australia’s first and only commercial spaceport. It is located only 12 degrees south of the equator which makes the site suitable for a spaceport as the spot will provide extra speed due to the spin of the earth. The center is operated by the ELA (Equatorial Launch Australia). Arnhem Space Centre could launch sub-orbital flights and small orbital flights.