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Fleet Space awarded A$4M Demonstrator Program contract to harness seismic data at Moon’s South Pole

Adelaide, Australia, June 28th 2023

“Fleet’s mission is to connect the Earth, Moon and Mars. First, we accomplished a
groundbreaking feat by introducing ExoSphere, which revolutionised the exploration of crucial
minerals on our home planet through the utilisation of geophysical devices connected to
satellites, enabling rapid mapping of the subsurface. With this significant contract from the
Australian Space Agency, we are poised to be the first Australian technology to touch down on
the surface of the Moon, supporting humanity’s efforts towards colonisation and aligning with
NASA’s Artemis program, with a future vision of Martian exploration supporting the hunt for life
beyond our planet.”

Matthew Pearson, Chief Exploration Officer and Co-Founder, Fleet Space Technologies

“The projects being supported show just some of the many ways that space technologies are
improving how we live and how we work. By helping Australian organisations like Fleet to
develop their space heritage, they can break into new markets and supply chains, and take their
innovative Aussie technology to the world. That will help them to grow, keep their ideas in
Australia and generate more employment opportunities here.”

Enrico Palermo, Head of the Australian Space Agency

Leading Australian space exploration firm Fleet Space Technologies has been awarded a $4m
contract with the Australian Space Agency for its Moon to Mars: Demonstrator program.
Building on their terrestrial success in deploying direct-to-satellite seismic arrays that find the
critical minerals needed for the energy transition, Fleet is now venturing into the celestial realm,
harnessing this capability to create a device tailored for Lunar and Martian exploration. This
remarkable endeavour is being facilitated by the Australian Space Agency, financing the
demonstration mission on a Commercial Lunar Payload Services delivery. This will be the first
step of 7 Sisters, an Australian mission to explore the Moon and Mars for the benefit of all
humankind.

Fleet Space has been chosen for the project Seismic Payload for Interplanetary Discovery,
Exploration and Research (SPIDER). The grant contract will assist Fleet Space to build the
geophysical devices to enable resource exploration for future human habitation as part of a
Government initiative to back a series of local space innovations, including those that can help
address climate change.

In a significant advancement for lunar exploration, the SPIDER, a three-component seismic
station, is set to be deployed on the surface of the Moon’s South Pole. Designed to record
continuous seismic data for up to 14 days, the device will be launched aboard a commercial
lander. This achievement will showcase the potential for developing compact geophysical
instruments and revolutionise future lunar and Martian exploration missions.
This seismic station is supported by an incredible consortium of partners from industry,
government and academia across Australia. DUG Technology, Adelaide University, Titomic, the
Department of Education SA, and esteemed researchers from the Australian National
University, Professor Hrvoje Tkalčić, and from the University of Tasmania, Prof. Dr. Anya M.
Reading.

Fleet Space’s proposal was among 10 projects selected to share in $40m under the
Demonstrator Program of the Moon to Mars initiative. The funding is designed to assist
companies to get their technologies ready for space.

Fleet Chief Exploration Officer and Co-Founder Matthew Pearson said the contract would help
the company to continue to pursue innovative ways of improving the space industry: “The
successful delivery of this project will demonstrate the ability to produce geophysical devices for
future lunar and Martian geophysical exploration missions”.

“Fleet is currently deploying several direct to satellite seismic arrays and intends to leverage this
Earth capability into a device suitable for lunar and Martian environments. The solution is
non-invasive and super scalable and can potentially be mounted to mini rovers for future
missions.

“The Demonstrator Mission Grant aligns perfectly with Fleet’s belief that space enables us to
achieve new things to deliver positive outcomes right here on earth. We are explorers with a
mission to revolutionise mineral exploration from Earth to the Moon and Mars. Fleet’s world
leading technology is locating minerals that are critical to the future of humanity.”

This contract follows the announcement in May 2023 that Fleet Space Technologies had
successfully completed its heavily oversubscribed Series C fundraising round, raising a total of
A$50 million. The substantial amount more than doubled the company’s valuation, now
surpassing A$350 million. The funding round followed the company’s outstanding success in
commercialising its revolutionary ExoSphere satellite-based mineral exploration technology
worldwide. Fleet is committed to expanding its highly skilled workforce in Australia and around
the world, creating a genuine legacy for Australia and the wider global space industry.

Fleet Space Technologies has also recently secured a contract with Australia’s Defence Space
Command, which will see its commercial satellites used to develop and demonstrate a Low
Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite communications system.

Contact:
Media Relations
Fleet Space Technologies
[email protected]
+61 411 591 665

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