Go8 Space Capability Statement
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Curated: Go8 Space Summit 2019 Contents Introduction 4 The University of Adelaide 6 The Australian National University (ANU) 14 The University of Melbourne 22 Monash University 28 UNSW 36 The University of Queensland 44 The University of Sydney 52 The University of Western Australia 60 CURATED: GO8 SPACE SUMMIT 2019 – 3 Introduction As Group of Eight (Go8) 100 universities – no mean feat in a Chief Executive, I take nation of just 25 million people. Only great pride in presenting the US and the UK, on a per capita basis, can best this result. to you the curated Space Capability of the eight Over 99 per cent of the Go8’s research is ranked as world class or above. Go8 members. It is being While research is at our heart, we released in conjunction are far more. With an ethos of quality with the “Go8 Space and a commitment to excellence, Summit” hosted by Go8 we deliver Australia some 100,000 member the Australian quality graduates each year; the leaders of tomorrow. National University (ANU) on 13 August 2019. The Space sector in Australia is an inspiration, a key component of the The Go8 is comprised of Australia’s global Space economy, and described leading research-intensive both as mature and revitalised, and universities. Seven of our eight therefore as a defining domain in members are ranked in the world’s top coming decades. To the Go8 it is The Go8 recognises that we have, with us and before us, many ethical, legal and security implications associated with the Space sector. Go8 expertise is eminently positioned to assist manage these. 4 – CURATED: GO8 SPACE SUMMIT 2019 clearly both. It is mature in the sense that we have already with us, and we are proud to have been involved yet to come, many ethical, legal and for many years. It is revitalised security implications associated because we are also proud to now with the Space sector. Go8 expertise find ourselves at the heart of a sector is eminently positioned to assist making a significant global mark in manage these. the 21st Century. The Go8 is not reticent to say we are The Go8 has much to offer the sector, home to the best, and proud to be so. and we work assiduously to ensure Being the best, striving never to be we are invaluable research partners anything less has enabled the Go8 to for and with Government and industry. build solid national and International It is our dedicated goal to ensure partnerships, and problem solving Australia can reap benefits from and advisory relationships around the every opportunity. world with Governments and industry. This is also applicable to the This curated capability statement skills the Space sector must have. sets out who within the Go8 can help As our Minister for Industry, Science you, and what we do. It is the third in and Technology Hon Karen Andrews an ongoing series of Go8 capability MP told Parliament on 22 July “Space statements. The Go8 has previously has long been called the final frontier, released Genomics and Defence but under the Morrison Government, capability statements. Space is the new jobs frontier.” It is important to note in this foreword that the Go8 understands how much is required of us in so many areas of this sector. Skills are obviously critical Vicki Thomson and we also recognise for example, Go8 Chief Executive CURATED: GO8 SPACE SUMMIT 2019 – 5 The University of Adelaide The University of Adelaide Skills and capability contact point: The University of Adelaide has had Professor Michael Webb over 50 years of space research Director, Defence, Cyber and Space and development with broad E: [email protected] interdisciplinary capabilities. In 1967, the University of Adelaide partnered with the Weapons Research Establishment (WRE) in the development and launching of WRESAT (Weapons Research Establishment Satellite), Australia’s first satellite. The university then continued to undertake research in areas of direct relevance to the space sector including advanced sensing, photonics, radar and communications. Currently the university’s involvement in the space sector includes many areas of science, technology, health, policy and practice. This expertise includes: y scientists working on advanced technology, including radar, space situational awareness and cryogenic sapphire clocks y mathematicians and computer scientists analysing large data sets through machine learning, advanced statistics, and optimisation 6 – CURATED: GO8 SPACE SUMMIT 2019 y engineers focusing on designing the current challenges faced and integrating nanosatellites, by the space sector and its vast communication networks, service network, from deep-space autonomous systems, and sensing to satellite systems and advanced materials terrestrial support. y medical scientists investigating and advancing aerospace Research strengths medicine education Space Situational Awareness (SSA) y practice lawyers and policy This research is focused on developing researchers looking at new and novel algorithms, inspired by The university works with the Department of Defence, Defence Science and Technology (DST) Group, Space Industry and the SA Government to ensure the university’s innovations meet real end user needs, and that pathways to commercialisation are identified. contemporary challenges in AI and space-based computational global security, and military platforms, to detect, map and track and space law. resident space objects (RSO). The university works with the High-Speed Space-Based Department of Defence, Defence Positioning and Navigation Science and Technology (DST) Group, Space Industry and the Researchers are developing SA Government to ensure the algorithms for event sensors university’s innovations meet real and smart cameras to realise end user needs, and that pathways low-power/high-efficiency space- to commercialisation are identified. based capabilities including attitude estimation, positioning, simultaneous Current research projects and localisation and mapping, and 3D programs are directly addressing reconstruction. CURATED: GO8 SPACE SUMMIT 2019 – 7 The University of Adelaide Multi-Sensor Platform for SSA Space Chemistry – Guardian satellite-based This project is developing a flow-chemistry system multisensory platform consisting of optical and RF sensors to provide This uses a specialised flow-chemistry highly accurate SSA and extremely system designed to produce quantum low latency satellite internet. dots in zero gravity, in a range of sizes and in near-real time. These dots can Earth Observation (EO) analytics be manufactured to produce a range using modern machine learning of spectral signatures that could Developing deep learning-based act as decoys for potential attacks. and graphics processing unit Space Processing – (GPU) enabled algorithms that can Resource Upgrade in detect and count objects in space, the Chain of Space Mining perform instance-level and semantic segmentation, and generate 3D Investigating potential off-world reconstructions and analyses of mining processes including adjacent satellite imagery. metal separation from mimicked 8 – CURATED: GO8 SPACE SUMMIT 2019 asteroid ores through continuous- atmosphere’s and ionosphere’s flow solvent extraction. Research physics, up to altitudes near is also investigating phosphorous 100 km. It develops and exploits mining from mimicked moon crust new methods for atmospheric minerals utilising continuous-flow remote sensing, using radar, passive solid-solvent extraction. and active optical techniques, and High-energy astrophysics GPS and other satellite techniques. The group’s research has explored: The High-Energy Astrophysics group y studies some of the Universe’s most meteoroid fragmentation, energetic processes by observing using radio holography neutrinos, very-high-energy gamma y GPS measurements for ground rays and ultra-energetic cosmic and space rays. It also carries out work in y turbulence and radio-wave the optical, radio and X-ray regions scatters in the lower atmosphere, of the electromagnetic spectrum. using radar The group is involved in many large- scale international collaborations, y atmospheric radar imaging including the: and interferometry y Cherenkov Telescope Array, and y measurement for climate and High Energy Stereoscopic System meteorological numerical models. (gamma rays) Miniaturised Orbital Electronic y IceCube Neutrino Observatory Sensor System (MOESS) (neutrinos) This Defence Innovation Partnerships y Pierre Auger Observatory project, in collaboration with DEWC (cosmic rays). Systems, is working to develop Atmospheric physics a small electromagnetic sensor system for space-based intelligence, The Atmospheric Physics group surveillance and reconnaissance. is involved in all aspects of the CURATED: GO8 SPACE SUMMIT 2019 – 9 The University of Adelaide Advanced Microelectronics and national research priorities. for Space Applications Research infrastructure includes: New, high performance sensing y The Institute for Photonics and microelectronic systems are and Advanced Sensing (IPAS) being developed for use in a range with capabilities in the design, of integrated circuit technologies fabrication and implementation – including complementary metal– of disruptive measurement oxide–semiconductor (CMOS), technologies silicon-on-insulator (SOI), gallium- y arsenide (GaAs) and gallium OptofabNode, an Australian nitride (GaN) technologies – for National Fabrication Facility – space applications. These new the leading specialty glass and systems have specific focus on the optical fibre fabrication facility optimisation of size, weigh,