Three new collaborative research projects have been allocated funding totalling $6.1 million under Round 4 of the Australian Space Research Program (ASRP.

 

South Australian company Vipac Engineers & Scientists will partner with research bodies to develop a sensor to improve the measurement of greenhouse gases. The Government is investing $2.3 million in this project, which will help us better detect climate change and predict the weather. Consortium members include the University of Wollongong, Rosebank Engineering Pty Ltd, the Australian National University, the University of Melbourne, and the Bureau of Meteorology.

 

The Australian National University will partner with industry bodies to a spaceflight-ready Australian plasma thruster design based on the helicon double layer technology invented and developed at the ANU. The $3.1 million in funding will also help build a space simulation facility at the ANU’s Advanced Instrumentation and Technology Centre at Mt Stromlo in the ACT. The facility will be a research hub for space scientists, astronomers and industry bodies looking to develop space equipment.  Partners include the University of Surrey, Vipac Engineers and Scientists of South Australia, and Astrium SAS of France.

 

The University of New South Wales will partner with space industry bodies and use their $675,000 grant to formulate and deliver a two-year Masters degree program in satellite systems engineering. Consortium members include the Institut Superieur de l’Aeronautique et de l’Espace and Thales Alenia Space, both of France, and SingTel Optus Pty Ltd.

 

Further information about the Australian Space Research Program is here.