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Centre for Appropriate Technology – IBA Good News Stories

26 May 2022
Jobs, Land and Economy
A large and white satellite dish sits on a concrete slab. Three men, two of whom are in work wear look at it. At right is a tree and in the background are hills and vegetation.

The Centre for Appropriate Technology (CfAT), through its subsidiary CfAT Satellite Enterprises, was provided with over $6 million dollar in finance from the IBA to construct two state-of-the-art commercial satellite ground stations near Alice Springs.

The Centre for Appropriate Technology (CfAT) based in Alice Springs works to bring infrastructure and technology solutions to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

With commercial finance of over $6 million dollars from IBA, through their subsidiary CfAT Satellite Enterprises, CfAT have constructed two state-of-the-art commercial satellite ground stations in Alice Springs.  The facility is the first development of its kind on Aboriginal owned land and transforms Australia’s capability in earth observation.

‘The new infrastructure will transform the earth observation industry in Australia by assisting to bring the potential for earth observation imagery down from hours or days to just minutes,’ said Centre for Appropriate Technology CEO and Arrernte man, Peter Renehan.

The two stations have been built and are project-managed and owned by Indigenous companies including CfAT and its subsidiaries Ekistica Ltd and CfAT Satellite Enterprises, as well as Ingerreke Commercial who laid the concrete foundations in December.

The facility forms part of a global network of ground stations operated by Viasat Inc called Real Time Earth.

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Indigenous Business Australia’s (IBA) is a commercially focussed agency, and its role is to enhance economic development opportunities for Indigenous Australians including those who are starting or growing their own business.