An Australian satellite has been launched into orbit onboard a SpaceX rocket as it attempts to tackle environmental issues on earth.
Kanyini blasted off on Saturday and is the country's first state government-funded satellite.
It was built by South Australian companies SmartSat CRC, Inovor and Myriota.
Research initiatives include early bushfire detection with the satellite's technology able to detect fires from space 500 times faster than traditional processing.
The $6.5 million mission is also aiming to create hi-tech jobs in the state’s space sector.
The next milestone for the project will be to establish stable communications through an operations centre located at Inovor Technologies at Lot Fourteen in Adelaide.
Chief executive at SmartSat CRC, a consortium of space industry and research organisations, Andy Koronios said the satellite was a "giant leap" for the state's sector.
"The Kanyini mission is not just about sending a satellite into space, it’s about building South Australia's capabilities and contributing valuable data for applications that enhance our lives," Mr Koronios said.
Myriota CTO and co-founder David Haley said the satellite's work could have impact in several sectors.
"Kanyini will be instrumental in delivering critical field data to users across a range of key industries," he said.
Once fully commissioned, Kanyini will deliver critical space data for use by government and research institutions, particularly in the areas of sustainability and climate impacts.
The satellite will also support a program to sense urban heat islands in the state.
Data collected by Kanyini can be used to develop robust predictive AI capabilities to accurately predict natural disaster events such as landslides and flooding.
