Australian Space Research Institute

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The Australian Space Research Institute (ASRI) came about in the early 1990s as the result of a merger between the AUSROC Launch Vehicle Development Group at Monash University in Melbourne and the Australian Space Engineering Research Association (ASERA).

The institute is a non-profit organisation run entirely by volunteers. Most of the work at ASRI is done in collaboration with Australian universities such as the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, Queensland University of Technology and the University of Technology, Sydney.[1] As of 2006, ASRI is developing a vision for the future of Australia's space community, including industry.

Unlike space agencies in most industrialised countries, ASRI does not receive any direct government funding since the Australian Government sees no strategic, economic or social reason to pursue self-sufficiency in space, and its stated space engagement policy [2] is user- and market-driven rather than supply-driven (or “technology–push”), the objective being to obtain secure and economic access for Australian users to space products and services developed in the global market place.

The ASRI was created to provide opportunities for space-related industry and technology development for the Australian technical communinity.

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[edit] History of space activities in Australia

During the heyday of rocketry research in the 1960s Australia was the fourth nation to launch a satellite, WRESAT, into orbit, and the third from its own soil.

The joint British-Australian Blue Streak program to develop Intercontinental ballistic missiles ended in the late 1960s.

Around the same time the European Launcher Development Organisation (ELDO) was established to develop a European satellite launch vehicle. Woomera, Australia, was chosen as the launch site for the test vehicles. Australia was granted status as the only non-European member of ELDO (one of the precursors to the European Space Agency) in return for providing the launch facilities. A series of successful launches was conducted from 1964 to 1970 with the aim of reaching orbit and eventually orbiting an operational satellite. The final launch attempt of ELDO's Europa 1 launch vehicle took place at Woomera on 12 June 1970 however the satellite failed to reach orbit. No successful satellite launch was ever achieved by the ELDO and European satellite launch activities then shifted to the French site at Kourou, in French Guiana, which is now home to Ariane launchers.

Since then Australian space-related activities have been virtually nonexistent. The goal of the ASRI is to re-establish Australia as a significant player in the global space industry.

[edit] Sounding Rockets

The Small Sounding Rocket Program (SSRP), initiated in the mid-1990s, provides Australian educational institutions with a low cost payload launch service. The service has expanded to include to individuals, companies, foreign universities and non-commercial organisations seeking assistance to launch their own vehicles.

Launches are conducted twice a year from Woomera, South Australia. Two types of rockets are used:

[edit] Launch vehicle development

The aim of the Ausroc program is to develop a micro-satellite launch vehicle capable of being scaled up for use in heavier launch vehicles

[edit] Ausroc I

This stage of the program was complete with the launch of a hypergolic liquid fuelled acid-alcohol rocket in 1989.

[edit] Ausroc II

Ausroc 2 was a larger pressure fed kerosene-oxygen bipropellant rocket that was developed in the 1990's. It was designed to reach an altitude of 10 km. The first attempt at launching an AUSROC II suffered a spectacular failure on the launch pad in 1992. The subsequent rocket, named AUSROC II-2 was successfully launched in 1995 from Woomera, although it did not reach its target apogee due to pressurisation problems with the LOX tank.

[edit] Ausroc 2.5

Ausroc 2.5 [3] is designed to provide an intermediate step between the Ausroc II and III programs. It uses the same size engine as the Ausroc III but with simpler and easier to implement cooling methods. The primary objective is to deliver a 10 kg payload to an altitude of 20 km and recover the rocket intact.

Ausroc 2.5 is the principal subject of current developments efforts. It is currently projected to launch in late 2007. Prior to that, a key milestone will be the ground testing of the propulsion subsystem.

The project is currently seeking volunteers to assist with manufacturing, integration and testing.

[edit] Ausroc III

Ausroc III is designed to launch a payload of 150 kg to an altitude of 500 km. It is a sounding rocket that will incorporate active guidance for “live” steering, and a steerable parachute recovery system

[edit] Ausroc IV

Ausroc IV is the final stage of the Ausroc program and would consist of five Ausroc IIIs, four for the first stage and one for the second stage.

Ausroc IV is intended to place a small satellite (up to 35kg) into a Low Earth Orbit.

[edit] Satellites

The discontinued Australis Microsatellite program aimed to develop a low-cost, autonomous satellite that could be used for a variety of applications such as low Earth orbit communications, remote sensing and small scale science experiments.

JAESAT (Joint Australian Engineering Satellite) is a collaboration between ASRI, the Cooperative Research Centre for Satellite Systems, the Queensland University of Technology and Ukrainian Youth Aerospace Association, Suzirya, that began in 1997. The project was put on hold in 2000 when CRCSS withdrew funds due to cost and schedule over-runs with a joint American-Australian venture, FedSat.

[edit] Hypersonics

The hypersonics project, currently on hold is a joint effort between ASRI and the University of Queensland to develop a free-flight scramjet engine.

[edit] References

  1. ^ ASRI. Australian Space Research Institute. Retrieved on 2006-03-19.
  2. ^ Australian Space Engagement Policy.
  3. ^ Ausroc 2.5 Project Page. Australian Space Research Institute.

[edit] External links