Australia joining the (new) space age

Sixty years ago, the dawn of the space age was marked by the launch of Sputnik. Fifty years ago this April, Australia joined in the space game with the flight of two Skylark rockets from Woomera in April 1967.

So where have we gone from there, and what’s next? As the world enters a new era of space science and technology, Australian researchers are:

• delivering experiments designed by high school students to the International Space Station
• facilitating communication between satellites and sensors to obtain data on climate, defence, agriculture and mining at locations not serviced by current communication networks
• giving satellites the ability to avoid each other and space debris in our increasingly busy skies
• speaking to astronauts on the International Space Station to make sure their experiments are on track.

Today in Canberra at an event convened by the Australian Academy of Science and Science and Technology Australia five Australian space experts and entrepreneurs are sharing their stories, and giving an insight into Australia’s contribution to space science and technology.

Academy President Professor Andrew Holmes said “Australia is highly regarded internationally in the fields of astronomy and space science. The next step is in commercialising the technologies that drive science and progress in space, and that is where we are headed.”

One of the speakers is Professor Russell Boyce, a leading space scientist from the University of New South Wales and chair of the Academy’s National Committee for Space and Radio Science. He said that Australia has a proud heritage of outstanding space science that helps the world operate the satellites we depend on, and helps us understand our origins,

“Our location on the planet makes us ideal partners for watching and listening to the skies. But we’re also reversing the brain drain. We have the talent pool to build highly capable spacecraft with the innovative payloads that can help meet national needs,” he said.

Solange Cunin, the 24 year old founder of Australian company Cuberider that recently launched a satellite to the International Space Station agrees. “This isn’t just a game for the big countries, from what I’ve seen a space industry would definitely be viable in Australia, we just need to foster it,” she said.  

All panellists are available for interview and they will take part in a public forum at Questacon at 11am.

Contact

Toni Stevens  |  E: media@science.org.au | M: 0401763130

Dion Pretorius | E: dion.pretorius@sta.org.au | M: 0418 281 777