Funding to help Australian businesses and research institutions demonstrate the feasibility of space projects

The Demonstrator program will support the development of space projects through two separate grant opportunities. They're aligned with phases of space mission development (refer to guidelines).

1. Demonstrator Feasibility Grant

This current grant opportunity.

2. Demonstrator Mission Grants

Grants of up to $10 million for development activities. We expect a majority of successful grants to be up to $4 million unless the application provides a strong value proposition.

We’ll deliver Demonstrator Mission Grants as a stand-alone, open competitive selection process. You are not required to apply for or receive a Demonstrator Feasibility Grant to be eligible to apply.

We expect that Demonstrator Mission Grants will open late 2021. 

You are not eligible to apply if you are:

• an individual
• partnership
• trust (however, an incorporated trustee may apply on behalf of a trust)
• a Commonwealth, State, Territory or local government body (including government business enterprises)
• a corporate or non-corporate Commonwealth entity.

If you’re not eligible to apply, you may still be a part of a joint application provided you have a lead organisation who is the main driver of the project and is eligible to apply. 

We assess your application against the eligibility criteria and then against the assessment criteria. Only eligible applications will proceed to the assessment stage.

The amount of detail and supporting evidence you provide in your application should be relative to the: 

• project size
• complexity
• grant amount requested

You should define, quantify and provide evidence to support your answers. The sample application form displays character limits.

The Head or Deputy Head of the Australian Space Agency decides which grants to approve. They’ll take into account the application assessment and the availability of Demonstrator Feasibility Grant funds.

You must address all assessment criteria in your application. We will assess your application based on the weighting given to each criterion.

How your space project and mission aligns with the objectives of the Moon to Mars initiative (25 points)

You should demonstrate this through describing:

1. the mission that you will lead or be a part of, and the extent that it will operate in space and/or support operations in space
2. the role and benefit of your space project in the mission
3. the potential value, including the commercial potential and financial sustainability of your space project
4. how your space project and the mission aligns with the objectives of the Moon to Mars initiative and the Advancing Space: Australian Civil Space Strategy 2019-2028, including its benefit to the Australian space industry and potential to support Moon to Mars activities.

The potential feasibility of your space project and how you will progress to mission development phases C to F (30 points)

Describe the activity and provide information that demonstrates:

1. your overall plan to progress through the phases of mission development and likelihood your space project will progress to mission development phases C to F (see Figure 1 in the guidelines)
2. the likely cost and timeframe of your space project 
3. your proposed method to demonstrate feasibility and build the business case for your space project
4. how you will communicate the commercial value of your space project to attract potential investors.

Your capacity, capability and resources to undertake feasibility activities and ultimately deliver your space project (30 points).

You should demonstrate this through identifying:

1. your, and your partners’, track record in managing similar projects including space heritage
2. your access to personnel with relevant skills and experience, including project management, technical staff and any independent committees (for example feasibility panels)
3. how you will manage and mitigate key risks to your space project and mission, including national security, supply chains, regulations, licensing, trade agreements, insurance and intellectual property management risks
4. your access to any required finance, infrastructure, capital equipment, technology and intellectual property. 

The impact of grant funding (15 points) 

You should demonstrate this by describing:

1. your need for funding and the value of the Demonstrator Feasibility Grant funding to your organisation and its potential growth 
2. the value of your space project and mission to the space industry, including the uniqueness of your technology, process, product or service 
3. the broader national value of your space project and mission, including spill over effects in other areas of the economy and anticipated direct/indirect employment growth
4. how you will communicate the value of your space project and mission to the Australian public.

If your application is successful, you’ll receive a written offer. If you are unsuccessful, we’ll notify you in writing and give you the chance to discuss the outcome with us.

Successful applicants must enter into a grant agreement with the Commonwealth.

The grant agreement will specify the:

• reporting requirements
• payment schedule
• milestones necessary to receive payments

We’ll make payments according to an agreed schedule set out in the grant agreement. Payments are subject to satisfactory progress on the project.

We’ll make payments by direct credit into a nominated bank account.