University of Southern Queensland a leader in space research

The University of Southern Queensland has received $50 million in funding under the Australian Government’s Trailblazer Universities initiative, giving the green light to the University of Southern Queensland-led ‘Innovative Launch, Automation, Novel Materials, Communications and Hypersonics (iLAuNCH) Hub’.

Vice-Chancellor Professor Geraldine Mackenzie said along with university partners the Australian National University (ANU) and the University of South Australia (UniSA), and industry partners, the university would lead Australian breakthroughs in an area of critical national manufacturing priority.

“The University of Southern Queensland is already a leader in space manufacturing with expertise in hypersonic propulsion systems, advanced materials and astrophysics,” she said. “iLAuNCH Hub will improve Australia’s skills in the space sector, providing new jobs and boosting the economy, and also help ensure our country’s space expertise grows well into the future.”

University of Southern Queensland’s Institute for Advanced Engineering and Space Sciences Executive Director Professor Peter Schubel said the hub would support industry to address sovereign space manufacturing.

“iLAuNCH will operate as a national space commercialisation Hub with three nodes — the University of Southern Queensland, ANU in the Australian Capital Territory and UniSA in South Australia,” he said. “Our industry partners have identified $3.65 billion in economic benefits associated with the core iLAuNCH commercialisation projects, which will accelerate Australian IP to market, and the development of a Space Engineering Degree that will create a pipeline of skilled, job-ready engineers into this exciting high-value, high-growth sector.

“The program will provide critical research, equipment and infrastructure in support of rocket manufacturing, rocket launch and in-space hardware such as satellites, communications and sensors.”

The Hub will support its industry partners to develop a space manufacturing precinct in regional Queensland for rocket manufacturing and associated supply chain development, servicing civil and defence requirements.

Director of the ANU Institute for Space Professor Anna Moore said Australia had breathtaking capability to offer the global space industry.

“Key to success is working with each other across states to offer our best efforts in a focused and purposeful way,” Professor Moore said. “That’s what makes this project so special. That’s what it takes to create sovereign capability and to educate our next generation of Australians who will be excited and proud to grow our space industry.”

UniSA Industry Associate Professor Colin Hall will lead the UniSA team, developing components, antennas and optics for small satellites and creating optical coatings for high-powered lasers.

“This is a wonderful opportunity for us, and our industry partners, to commercialise technology to grow Australia’s space manufacturing capability,” he said. “Together with the University of Southern Queensland and ANU we will cement Australia’s reputation as a major player on the global space stage.”

The University of Southern Queensland’s Institute for Advanced Engineering and Space Sciences is renowned for its research to deliver cutting-edge technologies, industry solutions and knowledge at the forefront of discovery, with world-class facilities including the Mount Kent Observatory in a dark-sky site, just outside of Toowoomba.

Image: The University of Southern Queensland is already a leader in space manufacturing with expertise in hypersonic propulsion systems, advanced materials and astrophysics.