Omni Tanker, an oil specialist headquartered in Smeaton Grange, has partnered with the University of NSW and space giants Lockheed Martin on a landmark project.

Funded by $ 1.4 million from the federal government’s Advanced Manufacturing Growth Center (AMGC), the trio will seek ways to solve the challenges of using composites for the transport and storage of liquid hydrogen with applications at ground, in the air, underwater and in space. .

Omni Tanker, with its significant experience in the development and marketing of strong and lightweight composite transport vessels, has the know-how and technology to translate recent research innovations for a myriad of applications, he said. stated in a press release.

Combining nano-engineering technology developed by UNSW in partnership with Lockheed Martin and Omni Tanker, and Omni Tanker’s patented OmniBIND technology, the collaboration will result in the development of two new operational-scale propellant tanks for the storage of cryogenic liquid fuels. for commercial and civilian satellite programs.

Omni Tanker CEO Daniel Rodgers said this next phase of his collaboration with Lockheed Martin and UNSW is a historic development that sees Omni Tanker’s seamless thermoplastic liner technology enter the aerospace industry.

“OmniBIND technology has made inroads to revolutionize the safe and efficient movement of difficult liquids in the chemical transportation industry. Today, the growing need to decarbonize the energy sector and the market for reusable low-earth orbit satellites have the potential to generate major use of these new technologies, ”said Rodgers.

Christopher Hess, Industrial Development Manager, Lockheed Martin Australia acknowledged AMGC’s support and welcomed the opportunity for continued collaboration with UNSW and Omni Tanker.

“Lockheed Martin invests millions of dollars each year in R&D programs with our Australian industry and research partners to solve the real challenges facing our global supply chains,” he said.

“We have a long-standing research collaboration with UNSW and Omni Tanker, and we are grateful for the support of AMGC as we now seek to commercialize these cutting-edge composite tank technologies developed in Australia for a number of Lockheed Martin and NASA. applications. “