Dr Phil Diamond to head SKA

Dr Phil Diamond, chief of astronomy and space science for CSIRO has recently been appointed directory general of the of the Square Kilometre Array Organisation, who is overseeing the construction and operation of the SKA facility.

Dr Phil Diamond (Photo: CSIRO)

Dr Diamond has been working with the SKA project since early 2000, and has an intimate knowledge of the  proposed facility and its journey so far, particularly through his involvement with ASKAP. He is also one of Australia's leading astronomers, with over 30 years of radio astronomy behind him, having led both the Jordell Bank Centre for Astrophysics in the UK and the CSIRO astronomy and space science division in Australia.

The $1.5 Billion facility will be built across sites in both Australia and Southern Africa, with detailed design currently under way, and full construction commencing in 2015.

Congratulations Dr Diamond!

Dr David Williams to head CSIRO Information Sciences Group

In a major coup for both CSIRO and the Australian Space Industry, Dr David Williams has been appointed as the head of CSIRO's Information Science Division. The Information Science Division covers astronomical and space sciences, digital productivity and services, information and communication technologies and mathematical and statistical sciences and has around 1200 staff.

Dr David Williams (Photo Credit: CSIRO)

Dr Williams is currently the chief executive of the UK Space Agency and has been a key figure in the creation of the agency and growth in the space sector over the past few years.

Dr Williams comes with both major credibility and contacts within the international space industry - something that is sure to benefit the Australian Space Industry over the coming years starting with the release of the Australian National Space Policy later this year.

What will be of direct interest to Australia is that the United Kingdom previously operated British National Space Council, which was a collection of all UK civilian government departments that operated in the space domain. This arrangement left the BNSC with no ability to drive overall space policy within the UK, a scenario that Australia currently finds itself in. Dr Williams helped transition the BNSC to the current UK Space Agency, which has led to recent growth within the UK Space Industry, and widespread praise for the stronger economic and scientific benefits from the new arrangements. In  2010/2011 the UK Space Industry turnover grew to £9.1bn from £7.5bn in 2008/09.

Within his new role, Dr Williams will oversee Australia's Square Kilometer Array facilities, one of the world's largest scientific projects currently under development.

Welcome Dr. Williams, and we look forward to you helping to grow Australia's space capabilities.

'The Dish' turns 50

The Parkes Observatory (Photo: CSIRO

This week saw the Parkes Observatory (also known as 'The Dish') celebrate 50 years of Operations. One of Australia's most well known science facilities, the Parkes Observatory is famous for its role in the Apollo 11 Moon landing as well as its depiction by the Australian film 'The Dish' in 2000.

The Observatory itself is located in Parkes, NSW, and is a 64m movable radio telescope. Behind the physical dish, there are a series of receivers and processing electronics that have been upgraded over the last 50 years making the Observatory more than 10,000 times more sensitive than when it was built. The Observatory is capable of observing frequency ranges of 0.3 to 43 GHz, and operates 24 hours per day, every day of the year.

The facility itself remains highly popular with tourists, with around 120,000 people visiting the Observatory every year. It is also one of the most successful Radio telescopes in terms of its science output, ranking 3rd in global science paper citations.

Google Australia also marked the celebration with a 'google doodle' for the day.

The Parkes Observatory 50th Birthday Google Doodle (Image: Google)

Lets hope the next 50 years are just as productive and successful for this iconic Australian Science facility.

Happy Birthday!

Dr Soyeon Yi, South Korea's first Astronaut to give free public talk

South Korea's first astronaut Dr Soyeon Yi who is currently in Australia to speak at the International Space University's Southern Hemisphere Summer Space Program, will be giving a free public lecture called: "My Life As An Astronaut".

The talk will be held on the 27th of January 2011, 3-4 pm at
CSIRO Discovery
Clunies Ross Street
Acton ACT 2601
Australia

For more information, head here.

Aussies and Kiwis link up to boost SKA chances

Six radio telescopes across both Australia and New Zealand have linked up to perform Radio Astronomy for the first time, creating a telescope baseline of 5500km. In doing so, they have created images that are 10 times more detailed than those of the Hubble Telescope.

The team from Australian and New Zealand imaged the Centaurus A galaxy, which is over 14 million light years away. The team included Auckland University of Technology’s Warkworth telescope, three CSIRO telescopes in New South Wales, the new Australian SKA Pathfinder (ASKAP) facility in WA, and the University of Tasmania’s dish near Hobart.

The new link up was enabled by the new 1Gbps Kiwi Advanced Research and Education Network (KAREN) connection allowing data transfer across the Tasman.

I must say, I find this “competitive science” attitude between Australia and South Africa wonderful, with both countries trying to out-science each other in the race for the SKA. In the end, it seems the science is the true winner, with the reverse situation than normal occurring. Politicians coming to scientists, and asking what they can do for them!

The CSIRO media release is here.


Well done Team ANZ SKA.

Tidbinbilla, Honeysuckle Creek and Orroral valley facilities honoured by AIAA

 The CDSCC with some locals (CSIRO)

The AIAA has honoured the Canberra Deep Space Communication Complex (CDSCC) at Tidbinbilla, and former NASA tracking stations at Honeysuckle Creek and Orroral Valley as sites of Historic Aerospace Significance.

AIAA President Dave Thompson has unveiled a historic marker as part of the public ceremony on May 25th, 2010 at Tidbinbilla.

This now joins Woomera to be the second AIAA recognised site of Historic Aerospace Significance in Australia.

For the AIAA press release, go here.
For CSIRO coverage, go here.

ASKAP recieves first signals

CSIRO has announced that the first antenna for the ASKAP project has received its first light, or radio waves as the case may be.

The first of the 36 dishes was tested with satellite signals during its holography process to measure the shape after construction. The folks at CSIRO along with their contractors have been working hard to assemble the first dish over summer, out in the soaring temperatures at the "Murchison Radio-astronomy Observatory" in the middle of nowhere in the Western Australian outback.

The test results show that the antenna is working beautifully, beyond specifications." CSIRO ASKAP Project Director Dr David DeBoer said.

Not bad for the new 3-axis design that they've been working on for ASKAP.

Some clearly good signs for Australia's chances of hosting the full SKA facility.

ASKAP Antenna Number 1. (Photo : CSIRO)

New Dishes at Tidbinbilla

NASA's CDSCC (Photo from NASA)

Both the ABC and Sydney Morning Herald are reporting that NASA is planning to build 4 new antennas at the Canberra Deep Space Communications complex at Tidbinbilla, just out of Canberra.

The first two 34m dishes are planned to be up and running by 2015, in time to receive data for NASA's Pluto mission.

The antennas will cost around AUD$50 Million each.

Some great news for Oz.