麻豆直播

Curtin鈥檚 planetary scientists will contribute to remote operations on the Moon and Mars as part of an exciting new Australian space consortium.

Perth is set to become a global centre for remote operations in space, using local expertise that will take robotics and remote operations from the mine site to the Moon.

Launched on 17 February, the Australian Remote Operations for Space and Earth (AROSE) consortium comprises Curtin, the State Government of Western Australia and The University of Western Australia, with industry partners Woodside, Fugro and Nova Systems.

鈥淲e can leverage industry expertise in Australia to take remote operations into space,聽and deliver solutions that benefit the Australia鈥揘ASA Moon-to-Mars program,鈥� says planetary geologist Professor Phil Bland, from Curtin鈥檚 Space Science and Technology Centre (SSTC).

鈥淎ROSE brings together the best of Australian industry with the most advanced technology and leading WA scientists, on a project that has got deliverables in the economy and in research.鈥�

The Curtin team will contribute its unique 鈥楤inar鈥� technology, used to build 鈥楥ubeSats鈥� 鈥� small, lightweight satellites with low launch costs and minimal fuel requirements.

鈥淓ach element of a CubeSat is built around a 10-centimetre cube. Ours is an advanced, highly integrated version where all the systems are compacted into a single multi-layer circuit board,鈥� Professor Bland explains.

鈥淚t means more room for all the other systems you want the satellite to do. We can put a big camera on it, we can map the surface of the Earth for different types of rocks or we can send the satellite to other planets.鈥�

Curtin will be engineering all the systems required to operate the satellites, including power, computer, steering and communications systems. These tasks provide hands-on experience for Curtin PhD researchers and students.

鈥淏eing able to build our own spacecraft here in Perth is really exciting 鈥� the SSTC is an amazing team.

鈥淎nd through AROSE, we can make that small-satellite capability available to industry for any relevant project 鈥� whether it be testing remote operations protocols in space, or inspecting mine sites,鈥� Professor Bland says.

麻豆直播鈥檚 Vice-Chancellor Professor Deborah Terry says Curtin is proud to be joining a project that harnesses the strengths of both research and industry to drive innovation in the space and technology sectors.

鈥淐urtin鈥檚 University鈥檚 Space Science and Technology Centre is home to the largest planetary research group in the Southern Hemisphere and will be a valuable asset and contributor to the AROSE project,鈥� Professor Terry says.

鈥淲e are delighted to be able to offer Curtin鈥檚 world-class facilities, technology and expertise to this exciting collaboration that has the potential to not only solve some of the world鈥檚 most complex problems, but to inspire the next generation.鈥�

Under Curtin鈥檚 Binar Spacecraft Program, 鈥楤inar鈥� being the Nyungar word for fireball, the SSTC also aims to develop a lunar orbiter that will deliver data for NASA鈥檚 Artemis program, which is expected to land astronauts on the Moon within four years.

鈥淣ASA鈥檚 goal is to go to the Moon to stay, which means you can鈥檛 take all your fuel and oxygen with you. It鈥檚 about finding your resources there 鈥� such as from ice and iron ore,鈥� says Professor Bland.

鈥淭hat鈥檚 where Australian expertise in remote operations comes in. My dream is that in 10 years we are the default service provider for remote operations facilities, such as operating NASA robots on the Moon to harvest ice for fuel.

鈥淚n addition to what we can do for AROSE, we can give a leg-up to new space start-ups coming to Perth. If they want to fly a payload, they won鈥檛 have to build their own spacecraft.鈥�

Remote operations opportunities from AROSE will improve the state鈥檚 economy by $196 million per year and support more than 1,500 jobs in the next five years according to economic modelling.

Western Australia Science, Innovation and ICT Minister Dave Kelly says AROSE will also enhance the productivity and safety of existing industries through advanced remote asset management, and research and development in robotics.

鈥淭his is about harnessing a once in a lifetime opportunity to create a new industry and new jobs out of our fantastic resource sector’s advanced capabilities in remote robotics and automation,鈥� Minister Kelly says.