Defence to manage Australian satellite

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The Department of Defence is to take over management of Australia's only fully-owned operational satellite, FedSat.

Defence Minister Robert Hill said Defence would manage the satellite from January next year until December 2008, extending FedSat's useful life to the scientific community by three years.

He said it might also be possible to continue operating the satellite beyond that time.

Launched in 2002, FedSat is a small low earth orbit satellite that follows a near polar sun-synchronous orbit. It carries six payloads performing a variety of scientific and engineering research functions.

Senator Hill said space systems had an ever-increasing benefit for Australia, including precision navigation, global communications and weather information.

"I am pleased that Defence can ensure that FedSat will continue to be of use to Australia," he said in a statement.

"It provides Defence with an opportunity to broaden its knowledge of spacecraft control and space experimentation. Defence will use FedSat for a range of research and experimental activities.

"This could include radio propagation studies and magnetospheric observations supporting space weather science."

Senator Hill said Defence personnel would gain valuable knowledge and skills in controlling satellites.

He said this would cost about $1 million over the next two years, a relatively small cost compared to the expected benefits from the ongoing experimentation.

FedSat is an initiative of the Cooperative Research Centre for Satellite Systems (CRCSS), a joint venture of four Australian companies, six universities and two Government agencies.

Defence has been a stakeholder in FedSat from the beginning through the Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO).

Source: The Age

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