The Australian government has announced $47.3 Million in funding to provide clean, renewable energy to two of the precursor facilities currently being built in preparation for Australia and New Zealand to host the full Square Kilometer Array Facility.
The Pawsey High-Performance Computing Centre in Kensington will be powered by a geo-thermal demonstrator facility, with the Murchison Radio-astronomy Observatory using a new Solar Storage system.
The construction of the new energy projects will commence in November 2010, and be completed by Mid 2013.
The Australian government is once again showing its strong commitment to host the SKA project, with well over $200 Million in funding provided in new facilities so far to strengthen Australia's chances in hosting the full facility.
Thursday, June 10, 2010
The countdown to Hayabusa continues
If all goes well, on sunday night at about 11:30pm local time, the Hayabusa spacecraft will be floating gently down to Woomera on its parachute that will deploy at about 10km altitude.
As I've blogged on before, the Hayabusa spacecraft will also hopefully contain some dust samples from the asteroid Itokawa, after overcoming a series of major problems to limp back to Earth, in what could be described as simply amazing engineering on behalf of the JAXA engineers.
Both Japan and NASA will be sending down sensitive tracking equipment to track the spacecraft on reentry, with scientists including Professor Trevor Ireland from the Australian National University eagerly awaiting to see the results.
For those wanting to follow the mission live, the Hayabusa site can be found here.
As I've blogged on before, the Hayabusa spacecraft will also hopefully contain some dust samples from the asteroid Itokawa, after overcoming a series of major problems to limp back to Earth, in what could be described as simply amazing engineering on behalf of the JAXA engineers.
Both Japan and NASA will be sending down sensitive tracking equipment to track the spacecraft on reentry, with scientists including Professor Trevor Ireland from the Australian National University eagerly awaiting to see the results.
For those wanting to follow the mission live, the Hayabusa site can be found here.
Uni of Queensland's Scramjet consortium comes together
The University of Queensland has been working hard with law firm McCullough Robertson to bring together the multinational agreement for their recently awarded Australian Space Research Program Grant.
The agreement involves organisations from Australia, the United States, Japan, Germany and Italy, bringing together more than $9 Million of funding from the consortium to match the $5 Million grant already won as part of the Australian Space Research Program.
The consortium will be working hard to develop scramjet technologies - seen by many as one of the most promising technologies for the future of both Space Launch and Air travel.
This project is already starting to place Australia at the front of the pack for scramjet technology, and is a great example of how Space funding in Australia is vital.
The agreement involves organisations from Australia, the United States, Japan, Germany and Italy, bringing together more than $9 Million of funding from the consortium to match the $5 Million grant already won as part of the Australian Space Research Program.
The consortium will be working hard to develop scramjet technologies - seen by many as one of the most promising technologies for the future of both Space Launch and Air travel.
This project is already starting to place Australia at the front of the pack for scramjet technology, and is a great example of how Space funding in Australia is vital.
Monday, May 31, 2010
NBNCo has shortlisted its Satellite Operators
The Australian Newspaper within Mitchell Bingemann's article have indicated that the NBNCo has shortlisted Satellite Operators based on an earlier Request for Capability Statement.
It identifies that Optus, Intelsat and Hughes Network Systems are understood to be on the shortlist. This would also indicate that NBNCo is interested in a 3rd party operating the Satellite network, rather than purchasing the satellites themselves.
More will be known when NBNCo releases the RFT in a few weeks time.
Hayabusa Return Interactive Event
To correspond with the Hayabusa spacecraft return to Earth at Woomera on the 13th of June, the Hayabusa project manager, Dr Junichiro Kawaguchi, and Australian Scientist Dr. Trevor Ireland, will be participating in an Interactive Event on the 6th of June. The even will be hosted by Questacon in Canberra, as well as The Victorian Space Science Education Centre (VSSEC) in Melbourne.
For full details about how to attend (tickets are free), head here.
For full details about how to attend (tickets are free), head here.
Friday, May 28, 2010
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.
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.
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