Defence industry and academia have demonstrated leading edge space domain capabilities during Defence’s SpaceFest 2020. This year’s event focussed on ground-based sensing technology and data, with participants given the opportunity to track objects at various levels of orbit and feed the data to Defence.
Minister for Defence Linda Reynolds said SpaceFest 2020 was an important collaboration between Defence, Australian industry and academia, focusing on detection technology and data for Space Domain Awareness. “There is no doubt that space is the new frontier of both global competition and cooperation,” Reynolds said. “Most Australians rely on space technology to power their everyday lives which is why it’s never been more important that Australia retains a technological edge. This annual event promotes investment in Australian space capability, boosting our regional strength and local capability, and informing how Defence can support and develop Australian industry. The 2020 Defence Strategic Update recognises the importance of the space domain as an operational environment in its own right which is why this government has committed A$7 billion over the next decade to transition Defence to a sovereign contributor in space.”
Minister for Defence Industry Melissa Price said the event gave more than 15 organisations the opportunity to demonstrate capability and equipment trials. “These trials will provide an opportunity for Defence to assess and inform future capability acquisition projects for Defence space domain applications,” Price said. “Among the technologies explored by industry participants were Passive Radio Frequency sensors, space surveillance networks and orbit imaging solutions. The Morrison government’s investment will provide exciting opportunities for Australian industry and look at cutting edge ways to expand the current space capability to meet unique Australian requirements and develop industry partnerships.”
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