Project coordinator: Richard Tanter
Updated: 2 April 2025
The Satellite Ground Station – East is a primary ground station in the ADF Defence Satellite Communications System, constructed between 2018 and 2020 under Defence project JP2008 Phase 5B2. SGS-East is a companion to Satellite Ground Station – West subsequently constructed in the north-west compound of the Australian Defence Satellite Communications Station at Kojarena, WA.
The facility is located on the southern edge of Kapooka Army Base, NSW, at -35.168220°, 147.270250°.
The SGS-W includes three 12-13 m. diameter parabolic satellite communications antennas and a large building, and two apparently cylindrical structures.
Northrop Grumman received a $223 mn contract in 2017 to construct the station under Project JP2008 Phase 5B2 to deploy an integrated wideband satellite communications system, in partnership with ViaSat and Optus. According to media reports the station was required to avoid bandwidth clashes that would have occurred at Canberra’s defence communications station, HMAS Harman.
According to Australian Defence Magazine
‘The Kapooka ground station was used operationally for the first time in December 2024. It will serve as Defence’s SATCOM gateway for activities on Australia’s east coast, with dishes positioned to contact military satellites including Optus’ C1 and the US Space Force’s Wideband Global SATCOM (WGS) satellites.’
See also:
- Satellite Ground Station – West, Kojarena
Satellite Ground Station – East, Kapooka – Google Earth, 28 September 2024