South Australia seen from space: First images from Kanyini satellite
InDaily has received an exclusive look at the first images released by Australia’s first state-owned satellite, Kanyini. See the photos.
Kanyini (which is a Pitjantjatjara word describing “the principle of responsibility and unconditional love for all of creation”) was launched onboard a SpaceX rocket in August 2024.
The $6.5 million project was led by an alliance of South Australian-based companies: SmartSat CRC, Inovor and Myriota.
Adelaide’s Lot Fourteen has served as the satellite’s manufacturing base and mission control centre during its 194 days in Low Earth orbit.
The spacecraft has delivered high-resolution images of the landscapes of South Australia, including Adelaide, Kangaroo Island and Yorke Peninsula.
These images contain an immense amount of data, that when processed will allow the Kanyini team to discover important visual details otherwise invisible to the naked eye.
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The photographs will be used to evaluate and monitor the health of South Australian vegetation and crops, and observe inland and coastal water conditions, providing critical data to influence government and research approaches to sustainability and climate response.
It is also hoped that the satellite will play a key role in forecasting natural disasters like flooding and fires.
This real colour image that captures the Adelaide CBD was taken by Kanyini on 3 February 2025. Photo: Supplied
Minister for Defence and Space Industries, Stephen Mullighan said the release of Kanyini’s first images is a major milestone for South Australia’s booming space sector.
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“The release of Kanyini’s first images is an exciting moment for the mission team and the South Australian space community, reinforcing our position as a national leader in space technology,” he said.
“From monitoring environmental changes, to supporting emergency services, Kanyini’s data will provide vital insights that will help improve lives and drive innovation across multiple industries.”
The Coorong/Limestone Coast and KI Real Colour images were taken on 19 December 2024 and 2 January 2025, respectively. Photo: Supplied
Myriota chief technology officer & co-founder Dr David Haley said the Kanyini project had unlocked a world of opportunity for South Australia’s space technologies and expertise to help people on the ground.
“We are incredibly excited to be able to utilise a collaborative, South Australian-made satellite to communicate data that improves the management of key resources, both here in South Australia and beyond,” he said.
Photo: Supplied
The space odyssey isn’t over for Kanyini just yet.
As the home-grown satellite continues its orbit, the mission team will be able to check that the data collected is accurate enough to aid scientific research.
