Southern Space - 21 October

Southern Space is a weekly newsletter produced by SIAA to inform the Australian space industry?

Industry News

Deloitte GRAVITY Challenge 05 Applications Open:?SIAA Foundation member Deloitte has opened applications for their upcoming GRAVITY Challenge. Applicants can assist one of six challenge providers in solving unique environmental, social and industrial problems. Challenge providers?include SIAA member Amazon Web Services who are seeking a solution to utilise cloud technologies to monitor and intercept malicious activity in development and operations in space launch, communications and operational missions.?

Applications close 1 November. Apply to the?GRAVITY Challenge here .?

Australian Regulator?Approves Inmarsat-Viasat Merger:?The Australian government’s Foreign Investment Review Board has confirmed that it has no objections to the?merger ?of Viasat and Inmarsat. Both SIAA Foundation member Viasat and SIAA member Inmarsat have significant business and customer relations in Australia, with the Australian Defence force previously extending and expanding a contract to use Inmarsat’s satellites to 2027. The UK Competition and Market’s Authority is continuing to review the merger.?

Australian Government STEM Careers Website Launched:?The Department of Industry, Science and Resources has launched a STEM careers website aimed at students between 8 and 12 years old. The?“Future You” ?site offers a free, evidence-based and curriculum-aligned program to demonstrate future careers opportunities across a range of STEM fields to students.?

European Space Agency Launch:?The ESA has launched the first satellite built under the agency’s?Eurostar Neo program ?to foster innovation and competitiveness in the European space industry. The satellite was developed and built by Airbus for Eutelsat and launched on a SpaceX flight, with a second identical satellite due to launch next month. The satellites will replace three older telecommunications satellites and broadcast over a thousand television channels around the world.?

United Kingdom First Space Orbital:?Virgin Orbit has announced that it will undertake the?first orbital launch ?from the UK next month, marking the company’s first international launch. The?Start Me Up ?mission is a joint mission between the US and UK governments and will be launched by Virgin Orbit, the UK Space Agency, UK Space Command the RAF and Spaceport Cornwall?from the Spaceport Cornwall launch site. Virgin’s Boeing 747 has been modified to carry California-made rocket LauncherOne into orbit, with the company’s horizontal launch marking the first rocket launch from UK soil. Earlier this week,?Virgin Orbit ?signed a letter of intent with Luxembourg’s Minister of Defence to study how the company could help?boost the resilience of NATO and allied states.?

Russia:?Russia has launched three orbital missions in under a week, with the most recent launch on 15 October. The Russian Angara rocket?successfully launched a small EMKA satellite referred to as?Kosmos 2560 ?into sun-synchronous orbit for defence use. The exact functions of Kosmos 2560 are unknown, with the satellite thought to be an optical reconnaissance spacecraft.?This is the fourth EMKA satellite that Russia has launched since 2018.?

US Department of Defence:?Amazon is discussing with the US Department of Defence the possibility of installing laser terminals on the company’s?Project Kuiper ?satellites to allow the satellites to transfer data from remote-sensing satellites directly into?a US government?LEO satellite network. Referred to as the Transport Layer, the mesh network of hundreds of satellites will relay time-sensitive data to militaries around the world. This network requires that commercial providers looking to integrate into this system use optical terminals that comply with government specifications.?

US Space Force to Acquire Missile Warning Satellites:?Next year the?Space Systems Command ?will undertake a procurement of up to four infra-red sensing satellites for a MEO constellation to track missile launches. These satellites will add to the Pentagon’s existing architecture of space sensors, with development of the constellation to be funded in two-year increments.?

SIAA Advisory Council Meeting:?This week the SIAA held an Advisory Council meeting to discuss SIAA’s work and upcoming events. Thank you to Boeing Research & Technology Australia for hosting the meeting and for providing attending Advisory Council members with a tour of their facilities.?

Industry Opportunities

Australian Youth Aerospace Association Astra Program 2022 Applications Open

The Astra Program is an?AYAA?initiative which provides?tertiary students and young professionals?of?all disciplines?an opportunity to learn about important issues in the Australian space industry.?In 9 workshops over the summer, participants gain valuable knowledge of Australia’s space sector, engage?in one-on-one dialogue with space professionals, and provide ideas for the future of the industry. Participants can explore the topics of developing an Australian astronaut program, improving bushfire management through the intersection of earth observation and traditional knowledges and Australia’s future role in a lunar ecosystem.?

Apply for the?Astra program here .?

Job Opportunities

View new job postings on?SIAA’s Southern Space Jobs Board ?to see what job opportunities are available in the space industry.

SIAA members can advertise job positions for free on the Southern Space Jobs board. For more information, please email?[email protected] ??

Upcoming Events

14th Australian Space Forum – The Andy Thomas Space Foundation????

When: Tuesday 25 October???

Where: Adelaide Convention Centre??

The Andy Thomas Space Foundation is hosting its 14th Australian Space Forum in South Australia. Supported by the Australian Space Agency, the South Australian Space Industry Centre and SmartSat CRC, the Forum offers an opportunity to learn about emerging ideas and network with individuals in the space sector. Session topics include Earth Observation, optical communications and foundation services rover. Register for the?Space Forum here .?

SIAA Space Forum Drinks?

When: Tuesday 25 October?

Where: Strathmore?

SIAA has partnered with the Adelaide University Space Society and SpaceBD to host an industry drinks night following the Andy Thomas Space Forum at the Strathmore.?This event is open to all in the space community, with no RSVP required. We hope to see you there!?

Women in Space – Impacting the World and Beyond?

When: Wednesday 26 October from 4:30pm?

Where: National Wine Centre?

The Australia Day Council of South Australia in partnership with the Andy Thomas Space Foundation will host a panel discussion featuring female space leaders from across the Australian space community. Panelists include Director of Space Capability and Director of Robotics and Automations Katherine Bennett, University of South Australia Professorial Chair in Cyber Security and Research Professor Jill Slay, Associate Professor Jenny Mortimer, Space Research Program Director Dr Kimberley Clayfield and Space Sector Lead Bureau of Meteorology Zandria Farrell?

Book?tickets here .??

Southern Space??

When:?22 November - 23 November???

Where:?Hotel Realm, Canberra??

SIAA’s two-day conference, Southern Space brings together space industry experts and decision-makers from across Australia. This year’s conference will connect the space industry together with government and parliament for two days to help shape the future agenda of Australian space’s aspirations.??

Registrations are available to both members and non-members of SIAA, with fees applicable to non-members.??

Registrations are open – Register Here .?

SIAA Foundation Member Profile: Microsoft Azure Space

Microsoft Azure Space ?enables digital transformation for the era of intelligent cloud and intelligent edge. Its mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more. Through the combination of cloud and space technology, Microsoft and its partners are equipping businesses and organizations around the world to re-imagine solutions to some of the world’s most challenging problems.????

Azure Space brings together renowned space industry veterans, scientists and world-class product engineers to build cloud capabilities that meet the unique needs of the space community. Azure’s innovation areas include simulating space missions, discovering insights from satellite data, and fueling innovation both on the ground and in orbit.??

By partnering with leaders in the space community, Microsoft is extending the utility of their Azure capabilities with worldwide satellite connectivity, unblocking cloud computing in more scenarios, and empowering partners and customers to achieve more. Azure Space offers a range of products and services designed to meet the needs of the space community.??

Learn more about the latest developments in Azure Space?here .?

Join the Southern Space mailing list by emailing?[email protected]

Header Image Credit:?'EO Expedition 44 Crewmember Scott Kelly - Japan' (25 July 2021) (NASA.GOV)