Australia

Five 'Australia' stories March 2020 - November 2023

How South Australia is connecting its community to in-space manufacturing with Varda Space

Theresa Cross Nov 4 2023 - 9:40 am PT

In the remote landscapes of South Australia, a remarkable transformation is unfolding as the Koonibba Test Range, located just a 30-minute drive northwest of Ceduna, is poised to become a beacon of hope, empowerment, and innovation. This story weaves together the aspirations of the Koonibba Aboriginal community, the dreams of space exploration, and the limitless potential of in-space manufacturing.

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US, Australia sign technology safeguards agreement to boost space launch activities

Theresa Cross Nov 1 2023 - 11:50 am PT

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The United States and Australia have signed a Technology Safeguards Agreement, or TSA, which aims to pave the way for U.S. commercial space launch vehicles to conduct launch activities Down Under. The TSA not only intends to facilitate collaboration between the two nations but also safeguards sensitive U.S. launch technology and data on Australian soil.

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Australian space industry hurting post government spending cut

Seth Kurkowski Aug 4 2023 - 6:19 am PT

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The Australian private space sector is facing uncertainty after the government cut a program worth $1.5 billion, and the current government is seeking to reduce spending to address a deficit.

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Australian government cancels billion-dollar Earth observation satellite system

Theresa Cross Jul 16 2023 - 1:48 pm PT

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In a surprising move, the Australian government has made the decision to terminate the ambitious National Space Mission for Earth Observation, a billion-dollar project that aimed to establish a state-of-the-art satellite system for a range of monitoring purposes.

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Voyager 2 to spend nearly a year on autopilot while 48-year-old Australian dish undergoes critical upgrades

Zac Hall Mar 4 2020 - 9:51 pm PT

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NASA’s Voyager 2 space probe will soon spend 11 months without the ability to receive commands from Earth, according to the agency. That’s because the 48-year-old Australian radio antenna known as DSS43 will undergo much needed hardware upgrades starting this month.

Voyager 2 first launched almost 43 years ago with the task of studying the outer planets in our solar system. While the probe won’t be able to receive instructions from Earth for most of 2020, it will continue to send data to Earth as it enters a quiescent state. DSS43 is the only dish equipped to send data to the space probe in part because it’s only viewable from the southern hemisphere.

NASA’s space probe isn’t the only reason Deep Space Network is upgrading its 20 story office-sized dish either.

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