SYDNEY -- Australia has axed a multi-billion dollar defense satellite project with U.S. contractor Lockheed Martin, dismaying Australia's space industry and highlighting budget tensions as the middle power pursues major military upgrades, including nuclear-powered submarines.
The system, known as JP9102, would have been Australia's largest-ever space project, with a reported cost of 7 billion Australian dollars ($4.59 billion). The project included two or three military-grade satellites in geostationary orbit (GEO) supported by ground stations and other infrastructure.
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