Page 48 - Australian Defence Magazine Nov 2020

48 SPACE SATCOMS
NOVEMBER 2020 | WWW.AUSTRALIANDEFENCE.COM.AU
LOCAL DEVELOPMENT
Much of the Australian space industry is focused on Space 2.0; smallsats, nanosats, LEO platforms, ground segments, processing and anchor stations along with a nascent launch industry (see P36 for more).
“Specifically, Defence is looking to invest in sovereign-de- veloped space surveillance capabilities, which will acquire a suite of multi-technology SDA sensors to detect, track, identi- fy and characterise space objects,” AVM Roberts said to ADM.
The department is aiming to take a coherent program ap- proach to their various space programs, looking to leverage the scale of services that Defence is seeking to realise in the coming decade.
“The Geospatial Information and Intelligence Program recognises that the ADF requires geospatial information to operate in all domains. To operate in a rapidly chang- ing strategic environment, the ADF employ systems that are required to collect, exploit, disseminate and consume geospatial information to achieve mission success. The pro- gram encompasses elements from maritime geospatial ICT systems, through to space-based collection assets.”
As to the finer project details of how this approach is to be delivered, Defence was unable to provide a consolidated list of projects and their scopes affected by Space spending. ■
NEW WAY TO MEASURE AUSTRALIA’S SPACE POWER
Flinders University researchers have devised an innova- tive way to measure “space power” which will help Aus- tralia realise its ambition to be a more prevalent and dy- namic space agency.
Through analysing the power distribution, technical capacity and autonomy of different nations engaging in space programs, researchers will use a new framework to classify the status of various active and emerging ‘space-faring’ nations.
This project – which has obtained $147,000 from the De- partment of Defence Strategic Policy Grant Program - will comparatively measure Australia’s space power using an in- novative analysis framework. It will identify how a country can increase its status as a Space Power and guide key players to best focus their attention and resources.
This has special interest for the ADF, as a 2016 De- fence White Paper acknowledges outer space being rel- evant to ADF strategic policy priority interests and activi- ties in the next 20 years.
The Flinders University research project aims to con- duct a comparative assessment of various space pro- grams by identifying, measuring and comparing their strengths and weaknesses, and this will enable Defence industries to understand how to strategically enhance Australia’s relative position as a Space Power.
“It will show Defence how to contribute to increase Australia’s relative international status as a major strate- gic actor in space, hence creating, projecting, and sus- taining national power in a way that can shape Australia’s position and role in the world,” says project lead Associ- ate Professor Rodrigo Praino.
Australia’s degree of autonomy in the emerging race for space will therefore determine its status as a possible Space Power.
Increasing investment by Australian public and private entities in space projects will constitute critical strategic infrastructure that will have a very large impact on Gov- ernment’s and Defence’s future planning and role.
Associate Professor Praino also expects that the nov- el methods of creating this new index will attract interna- tional attention.
“The space power index resulting from this project will be- come an international point of reference for undertaking the comparative assessment of global space activities by govern- ment agencies, academia, and research institutes,” he said.
NEW SATELLITE GROUND STATION BECOMES OPERATIONAL
The new Satellite Ground Station near Geraldton, WA is now operational.
Satellite Ground Station – West, delivered under Joint Project 2008 Phase 3F in partnership with BAE Systems Australia, will provide an anchoring capability to Wide- band Global Satellite (WGS) Communications satellites primarily located over the Indian Ocean.
The program includes two military hosted payloads on commercial satellites, a military satellite as part of the US WGS-Communications system, ground infrastructure across Australia and deployed terminals with accompany- ing network management capabilities.
Minister for Defence Linda Reynolds said the new sta- tion in WA, which has now achieved Final Operating Ca- pability, marked the first of three Defence satellite ground station projects to be completed.
“The Defence Satellite Communications Program is providing the ADF with a suite of strategic and tactical sat- ellite communication capabilities,” Minister Reynolds said. “Satellite Ground Station – West will provide Defence with greater access to the overall capacity available from Wide- band Global Satellite-Communications satellites.
“This offers real-time operational and logistical infor- mation which is essential for command and control of de- ployed forces.”
ABOVE: A concept image of a satellite ground station planned for Kapooka, NSW.
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