The recently released "2011 Strategic Roadmap for Australian Research Infrastructure" Discussion Paper has hinted that the upcoming Australian National Space Policy will include a research program, and identifies early achievements of the ASRP.
The Discussion paper, which can be found here, outlines the following:
Geospatial and space technologies
The Space Policy Unit (SPU), formed in 2009, is developing a national space policy, an element of which will almost certainly be a research component. Early indications are that the Australian Space Research Program, coordinated by the SPU, has already fostered very useful collaborations between a number of Australian and international research organisations, agencies and companies. Australia sits in what is known as the Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) ‘hotspot’ where all of the current and proposed GNSS systems are visible and this unique geography provides opportunities for Australian researchers.
It is expected that the upcoming release of the Australian National Space Policy will incorporate a follow on program from the highly successful Australia Space Research Program that recently closed submissions for its fourth and final round. It also shows the increasingly importance that Space is beginning to play within the Australian Research landscape.
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Mt. Stromlo Advanced Instrumentation Technology Centre Phase 2 Construction Started
The 18th of April saw the second phase of the Advanced Instrumentation Technology Centre (AITC) construction at Mount Stromlo launched by Space Minister Kim Carr.
The new centre is expected to help develop technologies for the international Giant Magellan Telescope (GMT) that will be built in Chile. The AITC will also house facilities to develop and test small satellites for both Earth Observation and telecommunications, and is expected to act as a new hub within Australia's rapidly growing space industry. The facilities will include clean rooms, vacuum chambers and a vibration table to allow for small satellite Integration and testing.
Minister Carr has highlighted that the AITC will directly create "up to two hundred and forty Australian jobs – and will continue to open new opportunities for Australian firms for another forty years."
The Antarctica Broadband project that was funded under the Australian Space Research Program is also likely to use the AITC.
Mount Stromlo was devastated in the 2003 Canberra bushfires, and subsequently, the facility was substantially rebuilt in 2006. The Phase 2 construction is expected to be completed in July of 2011.
The new centre is expected to help develop technologies for the international Giant Magellan Telescope (GMT) that will be built in Chile. The AITC will also house facilities to develop and test small satellites for both Earth Observation and telecommunications, and is expected to act as a new hub within Australia's rapidly growing space industry. The facilities will include clean rooms, vacuum chambers and a vibration table to allow for small satellite Integration and testing.
Minister Carr has highlighted that the AITC will directly create "up to two hundred and forty Australian jobs – and will continue to open new opportunities for Australian firms for another forty years."
The Antarctica Broadband project that was funded under the Australian Space Research Program is also likely to use the AITC.
Mount Stromlo was devastated in the 2003 Canberra bushfires, and subsequently, the facility was substantially rebuilt in 2006. The Phase 2 construction is expected to be completed in July of 2011.
Monday, April 4, 2011
Australian Space Industry Innovation Council Strategic Road Map Released
The Australian Space Industry Innovation Council has released its strategic road map on the 4th of April 2011. It is buried a little on the space.gov.au website - but if you're interested in reading it, head here.
I must say, my first thought when opening it was - one powerpoint slide? I've seen a few strategic roadmaps before, but rarely can they be summed up on one power point slide. I guess they have managed to squeeze a lot of detail onto that slide.
So on with my comments. Firstly, I'm very encouraged to see 10 years worth of planning. What the space sector in Australia has been lacking over the last decade or more, has been some sort of longer term vision about how to bring everything together and sustain it.
2010 Milestones: There are two important ones here for me: A National Space Strategic Plan has been developed - it would be great to see it published for all to see, and the identification of key vulnerabilities in the space sector, along with options to mitigate them. Hopefully both of these serve as inputs to the upcoming Australian National Space Policy.
Pathways: A great set of strong enablers for a vibrant long term Space Industry in Australia. They also strike me as almost a nice set of aims for a future Australian Space Agency. If we could develop a Space Agency in Australia that could achieve all of these, we'd be set.
2020 Targets / Outcomes: "Top 3 market leader in target niches" - I'm very interested in knowing what such niches would be - and how government would help to reach such a target. "Sustained growth rate exceeding national average" - In the UK Space Agency report about the size and health of the UK Space Industry, growth rates were at around 10%. I think this would be a good annual rate of growth target for Australia.
"Australians in international leadership roles, Significant Australian participation in international space programs, SKA in Australia" - SKA is an obvious short to mid term pay off for increased space attention in Australia. This also perhaps suggests that Australia may possibly be interested in joining global space programs, or perhaps some regional programs - perhaps we could start by undertaking a small amount of science on the ISS. "Own and operate our own space capabilities, Supply space data and information to other nations, Contribute to Space Situational Awareness" - Having Australia own and operate our own satellites, is a game changer in my view, and one we need to follow as soon as possible. This is likely to come through the Defence Department's purchase of a Radar Satellite in the coming years, as well as NBNCo's purchase of two Ka Band communications satellites. Space Situational Awareness will also put us centre stage from a global perspective as there are not a great deal of facilities in the Southern Hemisphere who can provide SSA data. It would be great to finally help our allies out with data after they have helped us out for so many years.
Overall I think the strategic road map has incorporated some very interesting points, and is a great step in the right direction. It is also great to see the beginnings of a longer term vision, and I hope this carries through to whatever may replace the Australian Space Research Program. It would be good however to see a little more detail published about just what specific targets could be set, and what the Space Strategic plan has to offer.
I must say, my first thought when opening it was - one powerpoint slide? I've seen a few strategic roadmaps before, but rarely can they be summed up on one power point slide. I guess they have managed to squeeze a lot of detail onto that slide.
So on with my comments. Firstly, I'm very encouraged to see 10 years worth of planning. What the space sector in Australia has been lacking over the last decade or more, has been some sort of longer term vision about how to bring everything together and sustain it.
2010 Milestones: There are two important ones here for me: A National Space Strategic Plan has been developed - it would be great to see it published for all to see, and the identification of key vulnerabilities in the space sector, along with options to mitigate them. Hopefully both of these serve as inputs to the upcoming Australian National Space Policy.
Pathways: A great set of strong enablers for a vibrant long term Space Industry in Australia. They also strike me as almost a nice set of aims for a future Australian Space Agency. If we could develop a Space Agency in Australia that could achieve all of these, we'd be set.
2020 Targets / Outcomes: "Top 3 market leader in target niches" - I'm very interested in knowing what such niches would be - and how government would help to reach such a target. "Sustained growth rate exceeding national average" - In the UK Space Agency report about the size and health of the UK Space Industry, growth rates were at around 10%. I think this would be a good annual rate of growth target for Australia.
"Australians in international leadership roles, Significant Australian participation in international space programs, SKA in Australia" - SKA is an obvious short to mid term pay off for increased space attention in Australia. This also perhaps suggests that Australia may possibly be interested in joining global space programs, or perhaps some regional programs - perhaps we could start by undertaking a small amount of science on the ISS. "Own and operate our own space capabilities, Supply space data and information to other nations, Contribute to Space Situational Awareness" - Having Australia own and operate our own satellites, is a game changer in my view, and one we need to follow as soon as possible. This is likely to come through the Defence Department's purchase of a Radar Satellite in the coming years, as well as NBNCo's purchase of two Ka Band communications satellites. Space Situational Awareness will also put us centre stage from a global perspective as there are not a great deal of facilities in the Southern Hemisphere who can provide SSA data. It would be great to finally help our allies out with data after they have helped us out for so many years.
Overall I think the strategic road map has incorporated some very interesting points, and is a great step in the right direction. It is also great to see the beginnings of a longer term vision, and I hope this carries through to whatever may replace the Australian Space Research Program. It would be good however to see a little more detail published about just what specific targets could be set, and what the Space Strategic plan has to offer.
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Pathways to Space Launched at the Powerhouse Museum
Kim Carr officially opened Pathways to Space at Sydney's Powerhouse Museum on the 31st of March.
Pathways to Space a three-year federally funded project allowing thousands of secondary school students to be exposed to real research into space science and robotics. The project will help inspire the next generation of Australian Engineers and Scientists both directly at the museum, or via telepresence for students who cannot get to the Powerhouse Museum.
Pathways to Space will allow students to participate in a research project on a simulated Martian surface known as the "Mars Yard" - teaching and demonstrating real life science and engineering applications.
The simulated Mars mission exhibit is formed through a partnership between the Sydney Powerhouse Museum, the University of New South Wales, the University of Sydney and Cisco Systems Australia. The project is also a recipient of nearly $1 Million from the Australian government's Australian Space Research Program.
For more information on Pathways to Space, head here.
Pathways to Space a three-year federally funded project allowing thousands of secondary school students to be exposed to real research into space science and robotics. The project will help inspire the next generation of Australian Engineers and Scientists both directly at the museum, or via telepresence for students who cannot get to the Powerhouse Museum.
Pathways to Space will allow students to participate in a research project on a simulated Martian surface known as the "Mars Yard" - teaching and demonstrating real life science and engineering applications.
The simulated Mars mission exhibit is formed through a partnership between the Sydney Powerhouse Museum, the University of New South Wales, the University of Sydney and Cisco Systems Australia. The project is also a recipient of nearly $1 Million from the Australian government's Australian Space Research Program.
For more information on Pathways to Space, head here.
Australian Space Research Program Round 4 Closes
March 31st saw the closure of the fourth and final round of the Australian Space Research Program. The Australian Space Research Program is an Australian government program providing $40 Million over four years to encourage both Space Education development as well as Space Science and Innovation projects.
In what is widely seen as a highly successful program, the Australian Space Research Program will wind up after the fourth round, with no current replacement announced. So far, the project has supported 11 projects - across a wide range of ideas and organisations, and has allowed Australian institutions to form many linkages with international partners. It is also understood that many good proposals have had to be turned down due to the high quality and high demand for the program.
Over the next few months, the Australian government through its Space Policy Unit will be releasing an Australian National Space Policy, which is expected to include some form of replacement for the Australian Space Research Program. I'll be watching the upcoming Federal government budget announcement very closely.
In what is widely seen as a highly successful program, the Australian Space Research Program will wind up after the fourth round, with no current replacement announced. So far, the project has supported 11 projects - across a wide range of ideas and organisations, and has allowed Australian institutions to form many linkages with international partners. It is also understood that many good proposals have had to be turned down due to the high quality and high demand for the program.
Over the next few months, the Australian government through its Space Policy Unit will be releasing an Australian National Space Policy, which is expected to include some form of replacement for the Australian Space Research Program. I'll be watching the upcoming Federal government budget announcement very closely.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
NBNCo Satellite Announcement soon?
Space Boomerang understands that NBNCo is in the final stages of evaluating submissions from potential satellite suppliers, and that the preferred tender could be announced soon.
In what is shaping up to be a massive year for satellite opportunities in Australia, with Optus already having selected Space Systems/Loral for their next satellite - Optus 10, two Ka Band telecommunications satellites for NBNCo, and a potential for a Jabiru Satellite for NewSat, the NBNCo purchase will significantly impact the satellite telecommunications market in Australia for many years to come.
Watch this space for the announcement!
In what is shaping up to be a massive year for satellite opportunities in Australia, with Optus already having selected Space Systems/Loral for their next satellite - Optus 10, two Ka Band telecommunications satellites for NBNCo, and a potential for a Jabiru Satellite for NewSat, the NBNCo purchase will significantly impact the satellite telecommunications market in Australia for many years to come.
Watch this space for the announcement!
2010 VSSEC-NASA Australian Space Prize Winner Announced
The following article is reproduced from the VSSEC Press Release - for more information on the prize and the VSSEC - head to their website http://www.vssec.vic.edu.au/
NASA has announced the winner of the 2010 VSSEC-NASA Australian Space Prize. Emily Bathgate from the University of Technology Sydney will spend 10 weeks working at NASA Ames Research Center as part of the NASA Academy program. She will work on a current NASA project under the direction of a Principal Investigator, meet leading NASA scientists and engineers, and visit cutting edge research facilities such as JPL (Jet Propulsion Laboratory), Virgin Galactic, SpaceX and Kennedy Space Center.
“I am extremely grateful and humbled by this amazing opportunity to be involved in the NASA mission by attending the Ames Academy. The opportunity to work with leaders in my field on a current NASA project will be an amazing experience I will never forget” said Emily.
Emily is looking for geological evidence on the Planet Mars of the presence of ice sheets and the possibility of an ancient ocean. Her work contributes to the further exploration of Mars and at the NASA Academy she will have the opportunity to collaborate with leaders in this field.
The Geology and Planetary Geology category of the space prize was supported by the Geological Society of Australia: Specialist Group in Planetary Geoscience. “We are delighted to support young Australian geoscientists and to encourage them in the pursuit of their aspirations. Emily’s Honours work is an outstanding example of the quality of the planetary geoscience research carried out in Australian universities by Australian students and their supervisors, and of the wealth of information and knowledge of planetary geology provided by data collected by NASA missions. ” (Dr Graziella Caprarelli, Chair: Specialist Group in Planetary Geoscience).
The Prize was established to promote quality space related research in Australia and raise awareness of study and career opportunities for students. The winner of the 2009 VSSEC-NASA Australian Space Prize, Elizabeth Blaber, has continued her work with NASA and developed an ongoing collaboration between UNSW School of Biological Sciences and NASA Ames. Elizabeth was invited to return to the US in late 2010 and is back at Ames doing more work on the STS-133 Mouse Immunology II experiment after being part of the post-flight recovery team at Kennedy Space Center.
Emily will work with the Victorian Space Science Education Centre to share her NASA experience with secondary students and teachers to inspire Australia’s future scientists and engineers.
Space Boomerang: Congratulations Emily! It sounds like the opportunity of a lifetime.
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