The European Space Agency announced in May that they had selected the Jupiter Icy moons Explorer, or JUICE mission for their next large class science mission under the Cosmic Vision 2015-2025 program.
The JUICE mission will see a spacecraft launched in 2022, and arriving at Jupiter around 2030, spending around 3 years in the Jovian system making detailed observations. The mission will analyse Jupiter's atmosphere and magnetosphere, and examine Europa, Ganymede and Callisto - particularly examining the moons internal structures and oceans. After initial flybys of Europa, the mission will enter orbit around Ganymede, and focus on observing the magnetic field and internal ocean structure.
So, what has this got to do with Australian Space?
Well, the JUICE mission has recently released its call for scientific payloads which allows proposals to be made for scientific payloads from European countries, the USA, Russia or Japan - or in otherwords, contributing partners.
Within the 2010-2019 Decadal Plan for Australian Space Science, an International Collaborations and Future Opportunities program was called for. Essentially, the program was to be established to allow Australian Scientists to participate in major international space science missions, that Australia could not afford by itself.
The JUICE mission couldn't fit the bill better, as a wonderful opportunity for Australia to contribute a small amount of funding, and build an Australian payload to go and explore the Jovian system.
Participating in such an incredible scientific opportunity would not just be a major boost to Australian space science, but would serve to strengthen our cooperation with the the world's leading space agencies. Given the current budgetary difficulties within Europe and the US, additional funding would also no doubt be welcomed.
As Australia is about to release its first national space policy later this year, it is opportunities in Space Science such as the JUICE mission that we must seriously consider. With the timeframe of 20 years before the spacecraft will go into orbit around Ganymede, Australia must not pass up such an incredible space science opportunity.
It would be great to see an Australian response to the JUICE call for paylods, with the support of the Australian government to fund the payload as a modest contribution relative to the total mission size. We could then become a mission partner along with Europe, America, Russia and Japan, and we could ride JUICE to Jupiter.
Thursday, July 5, 2012
Thursday, June 14, 2012
Brett Biddington appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM)
In the 2012 Queen's Birthday Honours list Brett Biddington has been appointed a Member of the Order of Australia for:
"service to the space sector, particularly through national policy and industry development, science and education support, and through governance of astronomy programs."
Brett has worked tirelessly over many years, and thoroughly deserves the honour and recognition of such a prestigious award.
Brett spent nearly 23 years in the Royal Australian Air Force, after which he became a member of Cisco Systems’ global space team that was responsible for developing the Internet Router In Space (IRIS) program, which led to a software router being launched into space.
He has served or currently serves on nearly every Board, Committee and Council in the Australian Space Industry, including chairman of the Space Industry Association of Australia, the Australian Space Industry Innovation Council, the Australian Telescope Steering Committee, the Kokoda foundation, ASRI, and he is an Adjunct Professor at Edith Cowan University in Perth, Western Australia (just to name a few).
Brett is also completing a PhD with the Australian Centre for Astrobiology, and spent many years working closely on the Square Kilometer Array project, which Australia was recently jointly awarded.
He has been a strong driving force in recent years behind the resurgence in Australian Space activities, and he has worked tirelessly to help form the upcoming Australian National Space Policy.
Brett - Thankyou for all of your hard work, and congratulations on your award!
"service to the space sector, particularly through national policy and industry development, science and education support, and through governance of astronomy programs."
Brett has worked tirelessly over many years, and thoroughly deserves the honour and recognition of such a prestigious award.
Brett spent nearly 23 years in the Royal Australian Air Force, after which he became a member of Cisco Systems’ global space team that was responsible for developing the Internet Router In Space (IRIS) program, which led to a software router being launched into space.
He has served or currently serves on nearly every Board, Committee and Council in the Australian Space Industry, including chairman of the Space Industry Association of Australia, the Australian Space Industry Innovation Council, the Australian Telescope Steering Committee, the Kokoda foundation, ASRI, and he is an Adjunct Professor at Edith Cowan University in Perth, Western Australia (just to name a few).
Brett is also completing a PhD with the Australian Centre for Astrobiology, and spent many years working closely on the Square Kilometer Array project, which Australia was recently jointly awarded.
He has been a strong driving force in recent years behind the resurgence in Australian Space activities, and he has worked tirelessly to help form the upcoming Australian National Space Policy.
Brett - Thankyou for all of your hard work, and congratulations on your award!
Space jobs at RMIT and NBNCo
RMIT is currently looking for a Research Fellow, Space Tracking/Geodesy to join their Satellite Positioning for Atmosphere, Climate and Environment (SPACE) Research Centre.
The Role description includes:
Reporting to the Director of SPACE Research Centre RMIT University and Manager Modelling Analysis of EOSSS (EOS Space Systems Pty Ltd), you will be required to undertake research in the SPACE Research Centre specifically for the ASRP Grant project. You will work primarily on space tracking, real-time orbit determination (OD), atmospheric mass density modelling, space conjunction analysis, satellite laser ranging (SLR) and precise point positioning (PPP).
For more information, head here.
NBNCo is currently looking for a Project Coordinator - Satellite, with the role description:
Working within the Network Architecture and Technology (NA&T) group the Project Coordinator - Satellite will be responsible for overall project coordination and administration activities within the satellite engineering delivery team.
For more information, head here.
Happy Space job hunting!
The Role description includes:
Reporting to the Director of SPACE Research Centre RMIT University and Manager Modelling Analysis of EOSSS (EOS Space Systems Pty Ltd), you will be required to undertake research in the SPACE Research Centre specifically for the ASRP Grant project. You will work primarily on space tracking, real-time orbit determination (OD), atmospheric mass density modelling, space conjunction analysis, satellite laser ranging (SLR) and precise point positioning (PPP).
For more information, head here.
NBNCo is currently looking for a Project Coordinator - Satellite, with the role description:
Working within the Network Architecture and Technology (NA&T) group the Project Coordinator - Satellite will be responsible for overall project coordination and administration activities within the satellite engineering delivery team.
For more information, head here.
Happy Space job hunting!
Saturday, June 9, 2012
Sold-Out Australasia Satellite Forum held in Sydney
The 2012 Australasia Satellite Forum was held in Sydney on the 16th of April, to a sold out audience of Asia-Pacific Satellite executives and industry representatives.
The key-note address was given by Nationals MP Luke Hartsuyker, whose speech can be found here. The speech devotes a lot of time to the National Broadband Network and coalition criticism on it. He does go on to deliver in-principle support to satellite services delivering broadband to rural Australia, whilst reminding the forum of the Aussat issues. Whilst it is good to see the coalition engaging in this type of forum, it would be far more interesting to know the coalitions future policies regarding the space and satellite telecommunications sector.
The forum also attracted industry experts from NewSat, NBNCo, Arianespace, Optus, Telstra, Thales Alenia Space, Space Systems Loral, Hughes, and many other companies.
The day's program can still be found here.
The key-note address was given by Nationals MP Luke Hartsuyker, whose speech can be found here. The speech devotes a lot of time to the National Broadband Network and coalition criticism on it. He does go on to deliver in-principle support to satellite services delivering broadband to rural Australia, whilst reminding the forum of the Aussat issues. Whilst it is good to see the coalition engaging in this type of forum, it would be far more interesting to know the coalitions future policies regarding the space and satellite telecommunications sector.
The forum also attracted industry experts from NewSat, NBNCo, Arianespace, Optus, Telstra, Thales Alenia Space, Space Systems Loral, Hughes, and many other companies.
The day's program can still be found here.
Friday, May 25, 2012
Australia and South Africa jointly awarded SKA Telescope
In a widely expected, but somewhat controversial decision, the Square Kilometer Array facility has been awarded to both Australia and South Africa.
It is understood that Australia / New Zealand have been awarded the low frequency component for the SKA, whereas South Africa has been awarded the mid frequency component.
The press release states:
"The majority of SKA dishes in Phase 1 will be built in South Africa, combined with MeerKAT. Further SKA dishes will be added to the ASKAP array in Australia. All the dishes and the mid frequency aperture arrays for Phase II of the SKA will be built in Southern Africa while the low frequency aperture array antennas for Phase I and II will be built in Australia."
Congratulations to all involved from both Australia and South Africa. Whilst I'm sure everyone would have wanted the whole facility, it is a great reward to two deserving sites.
For the full press release head here.
It is understood that Australia / New Zealand have been awarded the low frequency component for the SKA, whereas South Africa has been awarded the mid frequency component.
The press release states:
"The majority of SKA dishes in Phase 1 will be built in South Africa, combined with MeerKAT. Further SKA dishes will be added to the ASKAP array in Australia. All the dishes and the mid frequency aperture arrays for Phase II of the SKA will be built in Southern Africa while the low frequency aperture array antennas for Phase I and II will be built in Australia."
Congratulations to all involved from both Australia and South Africa. Whilst I'm sure everyone would have wanted the whole facility, it is a great reward to two deserving sites.
For the full press release head here.
Friday, May 11, 2012
Australian Budget Ignores Space, Threatens Future
The 2012-2013 Australian Federal Government budget has left the space industry out in the cold, with no new funding announced. This places the Australian Space Policy Unit and the Australian Space Research Program with just 12 months of funding left before they could in theory be shutdown.
Since the seed funding for the Australian Space Industry was announced back in the 2009-2010 budget, no new funding to sustain long term space activities has been announced. Whilst the original small investment has seen a resurgence in Space activities in Australia, a cloud now hangs over what will happen beyond the next financial year, placing the industry on edge as to what the long term future will be.
The Space Policy Unit is expected to release the first Australian National Space Industry Policy in the third quarter of this year, which will hopefully provide a strong direction for the industry together with the announcement of new funding that matches or exceeds current funding amounts.
Announcing a National Space Industry Policy with no funding would effectively undo some of the great achievements made over the last few years, and risk many of the economic benefits that the Space Industry brings to Australia.
All hopes rest with the upcoming policy to provide certainty for the Space Industry.
Since the seed funding for the Australian Space Industry was announced back in the 2009-2010 budget, no new funding to sustain long term space activities has been announced. Whilst the original small investment has seen a resurgence in Space activities in Australia, a cloud now hangs over what will happen beyond the next financial year, placing the industry on edge as to what the long term future will be.
The Space Policy Unit is expected to release the first Australian National Space Industry Policy in the third quarter of this year, which will hopefully provide a strong direction for the industry together with the announcement of new funding that matches or exceeds current funding amounts.
Announcing a National Space Industry Policy with no funding would effectively undo some of the great achievements made over the last few years, and risk many of the economic benefits that the Space Industry brings to Australia.
All hopes rest with the upcoming policy to provide certainty for the Space Industry.
Climate R3 Workshop to be held in Perth in late May
The Second Climate Regional Readiness Review (Climate R3) workshop will be held from the 22nd to the 25th of May 2012 in Perth, and will be held together with the APRSAF Space Applications for Environment (SAFE).
The 2nd Climate R3 workshop will further develop the Climate R3 initiative which was born out of an Australian proposal at the Asia-Pacific Regional Space Agency Forum (APRSAF) -17 held in Melbourne in 2010. The initiative is aimed at undertaking a regional readiness review for Key Climate Missions, and determining the ability of APRSAF countries to benefit from space derived data and information.
SAFE aims to establish prototype platforms for the development of solution (service) oriented application systems for climate change mitigation and adaptation by using space based earth observation technology. This workshop will report on the five on-going prototyping projects endorsed by APRSAF and review possible new prototyping projects.
The Australian Department of Industry, Innovation, Science, Research & Tertiary Education and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) will co-host the second Climate R3.For further information, head over to the space.gov.au Climate R3 webpage here.
The 2nd Climate R3 workshop will further develop the Climate R3 initiative which was born out of an Australian proposal at the Asia-Pacific Regional Space Agency Forum (APRSAF) -17 held in Melbourne in 2010. The initiative is aimed at undertaking a regional readiness review for Key Climate Missions, and determining the ability of APRSAF countries to benefit from space derived data and information.
SAFE aims to establish prototype platforms for the development of solution (service) oriented application systems for climate change mitigation and adaptation by using space based earth observation technology. This workshop will report on the five on-going prototyping projects endorsed by APRSAF and review possible new prototyping projects.
The Australian Department of Industry, Innovation, Science, Research & Tertiary Education and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) will co-host the second Climate R3.For further information, head over to the space.gov.au Climate R3 webpage here.
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