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Australian firm wins NASA contract

An engineering firm based in Newcastle, NSW, says a unique combination of engineering skills and cheap manufacturing has enabled it to win a $500,000 contract with US space agency NASA.

Transform Composites, a fibreglass manufacturer which normally makes seating for Sydney trains, has designed four domes, to cover telescopes on top of an inactive volcano in Hawaii.

Project manager Lee Spencer says the Newcastle firm beat several international competitors because it brought together engineering, design and construction.

"The only way you can compete on a world stage is to value-add," he said.

"There are cheaper places to make composites, particularly in South-East Asia, but there's nowhere where you can get this combination of engineering and supply.

"You can go to the US, but then it's very expensive, Australia's in a very good position to do that."

Tags: astronomy-space, engineering