Research Projects

SmartSat’s New South Wales (NSW) Node is a joint project with the NSW Government’s Space Office and the Office of the NSW Chief Scientist & Engineer, to support industry and research collaboration and solve valuable industry problems through the commercialisation of space-related technologies.

Laser Heterodyne Radiometer Miniaturization Towards Future Spaceflight

SPACE DEMONSTRATOR PROGRAM

Methane is a potent greenhouse gas under immense scrutiny to reduce emissions in line with the Paris Climate Agreement. Here we propose the use of laser heterodyne radiometry – a next generation sensor instrument – to detect and fingerprint methane thereby revealing its source type e.g., natural gas vs coal seam vs agriculture (Figure 1). This type of fingerprinting is the primary barrier to effective emissions accounting and regulation. The overarching aim of this project is to facilitate the development of a fast, digitally-enabled and miniaturized Laser Heterodyne Radiometer (LHR) suitable for the low acquisition times and small and lightweight form factor necessitated by modern space-based sensor platforms.

The overarching aim will be achieved via the following objectives: 1) conduct trade studies to define the optimal balance in signal strength and spatial coverage, 2) field test a ground-based LHR system to verify real-world performance, and 3) construct and demonstrate an airborne model. Existing ground-based analogue-driven LHR systems exhibit signal acquisition times too long for the space-based sensor environment where orbital velocities necessitate fast signal acquisition. The combination of fast space-ready LHR fingerprinting ability with a satellite’s global coverage would be a unique platform with which to quantify, classify and subsequently address methane emissions on a planetary scale. Construction and lab testing of a benchtop LHR system with our unique digital processing are being conducted under a recently awarded NSW Space Research Network (NSW SRN) grant and those elements are leveraged in the work proposed here.

P7.05

Project Leader:
Jay Bevington, Interplanetary Exploration Institute Ltd

Participants:

Modelling Thermal Comfort Indices for Urban Areas

SPACE DEMONSTRATOR PROGRAM

Heat waves are already seriously impacting urban liveability, leading to increases in water demand and increase risks of negative health and productivity outcomes. The issues will be further exacerbated in the coming decades as we negotiate our path through global and urban climate changes. In Sydney, the summer urban surface temperature in treeless areas has been observed to be up to 13⁰C higher than adjacent vegetated non-urban areas. Experimentation with strategic irrigation of brownfield sites using recycled water has demonstrated that certain areas can be cooled by 3⁰C, identifying the vital role that water utilities will play in urban cooling.

Sydney is a dynamic city which will generate more heat and use more water as it grows. There is a real need to collect data on the current state of urban heating in different areas of our city so that we can provide useful information to decision makers and residents on existing and future problems and ways to mitigate them. For example, targeted programs by local councils to their residents, such as simple messaging campaigns to water gardens at key times, have the potential to reduce the impact of heat waves, or new property developments could be required to address their thermal footprint at the planning stage and implement mitigation measures for urban cooling and greening, such as those contained in Sydney Water’s Urban Typologies Report.

A key metric to understand the amount of urban heat effects is the outdoor human thermal comfort metric, which is based on a number of environmental measurements (dry-bulb temperature which is the air temperature provided by BOM, relative humidity, air speed, and radiant temperature). There is, however, currently a lack of cost-effective large scale monitoring techniques to gather the data needed to calculate the human thermal comfort in real-time according to urban typology; this is particularly true of radiant temperature which is difficult to infer from surface temperature as it strongly affected by the immediate three-dimensional environment. As a result, current mitigation measures are not as useful as they lack the accurate inputs needed to drive meaningful countermeasures.

Our project aims to demonstrate that outdoor human thermal comfort can be calculated in real-time, with high spatial resolution and at-scale using only satellite imagery and existing datasets from BOM. This requires us to infer radiant heat at-scale, using a model that we will develop, that will be informed by direct measurements of the human thermal comfort metrics, such as radiant temperature undertaken at several Sydney locations. Key to our approach is that the sensors will only be used to acquire training data to develop the model that infers the human thermal conform so that no additional infrastructure will be deployed. Our approach harness satellite imagery and land segmentation models in combination with BOM datasets to cost-effectively and accurately calculate human thermal comfort over large urban topologies.

P7.06

Project Leader:
Professor Benjamin Eggleton, University of Sydney

Participants:

Modeling of space solar cell

MOBILITY SHCEME

Extra Terrestrial Power is working with the University of New South Wales (UNSW) on developing radiation-tolerant silicon space solar cells (SmartSat CRC NSW node space demonstrator & ARC Linkage project) and urgently need simulation and modelling activities to use the lab results to predict space performance.

Due to the nature of radiation defect formation and neutralisation, this can only be addressed by using advanced first-principle computer-aided design (TCAD), which is Dr Ma’s expertise. Dr Ma has 20 years of experience with Sentaurus TCAD, one of the most advanced simulation software for semiconductor processes and devices.

This secondment will deliver an advanced simulation model of radiation-tolerant space solar cells. Silicon space solar cells have the potential to be two orders of magnitude cheaper than the current state-of-the-art compound semiconductor solar cells, albeit at lower efficiency and a lower radiation tolerance.

P7.08

Project Leader:
Peter Toth, Extraterrestrial Power Pty Ltd

Participants:

Earth Observation Algorithm Focus

SPACE DEMONSTRATOR PROGRAM

Earth observation satellites are able to take far more images than they are able to send back to Earth due to bandwidth limitations. One solution is to extract insights / intelligence from images / data as soon as they are taken by processing them on-board using Edge hardware.

This leads to the following advantages:

1. Sending down just the insights rather than raw images saves limited bandwidth.
2. Every image can be utilised rather than just the ones which can be sent down.
3. Satellites become programmable rather than fixed function. For example direct analysis of raw data or custom preprocessing routines.
4. There is a significant improvement in the speed of generating insights from satellite imagery on the Edge versus processing on-the ground.

Insights must be geolocated to be useful to end users. Therefore, georeferencing images rapidly, accurately and the ability to merge multiple satellite image tiles into a single coherent image (mosaicking) is required. Existing satellite providers send down entire images and use satellite attitude data, proprietary algorithms and manual adjustment to accurately georeference and merge images. Information on the procedures are not publically available. Relevant published literature in this area is scattered and does not present a complete solution. Spiral Blue aims to develop a complete solution. The novel algorithm should rapidly and accurately perform the geolocation and mosaicking on the Edge. Where resources and power availability are limited compared to on-the ground.

P7.10

Project Leader:
Professor Linlin Ge, University of New South Wales

Participants:

Enabling Resilient Space Computing with Advanced Thermal Management

SPACE DEMONSTRATOR PROGRAM

This project will demonstrate a novel heat management solution as a vital enabler of computational systems for the current and next generation of Australian-made satellites. The solution is based on specially designed 3D printed meta-material structures with optimised thermal properties and low mass.

To realise advanced LEO satellite services increased on-board computational resources are necessary. However, increased computational loads will generate more heat that must be managed to maximise performance. Given the wide-ranging relevance of this issue for future Australian satellites, means demonstrating a solution is of significant technical and commercial value.

P7.12

Project Leader:
Nick Bennett, University of Technology Sydney

Participants:

Revolutionalising Commercial Space Computing Leveraging the Toliman Space Telescope Mission

SPACE DEMONSTRATOR PROGRAM

This project represents an opportunity to develop Spiral Blue’s space edge computing technology in support of the TOLIMAN space telescope mission. Working with the University of Sydney and the TOLIMAN project’s core research outcome, Spiral Blue has identified an opportunity to use our on-board capability to process images of the Earth to process images of distant stars in search of Earth-sized planets in the Alpha Centauri system.

To meet the University of Sydney’s requirements for data throughput and bus integration format for this mission requires further development of our Space Edge 1 (SE-1) computer’s physical and software layers. The commercial impact of this work will be a significant expansion in the range of commercial and research satellite bus platforms Spiral Blue can integrate with, and hence our addressable market size.

Working in close partnership with the University of Sydney, we will redesign the SE-1 PCB to accommodate a Spacewire standard transceiver (a type of low voltage differential signalling – LVDS – standard unit). This will also require power management upgrades, which will affect existing interfaces. Finally, to capitalise on the changes and add additional value to the development, the computer’s data transfer architecture will be upgraded to allow for gigabit speeds. This final change is in direct response to a request from another Australian customer, Gilmour Space Technologies.

P7.14

Project Leader:
James Buttenshaw, Spiral Blue Pty Ltd

Participants:

Hybrid Space-Based Cameras for Target Uncertainty

SPACE DEMONSTRATOR PROGRAM

To allow high-resolution image capture of fast-moving objects from an orbiting camera, this project seeks to integrate a wide-field-of-view (wide-fov) event sensor with a telescopic camera. Data from the wide-fov event camera can be used to trigger the telescopic camera to get high resolution images of the target objects, even when there is some uncertainty around where exactly the fast-moving object will be at a given time. The process also helps reduce the bandwidth requirements for space-based sensors.

Fast-moving objects of interest include hypersonic systems, including weapons systems, as well as orbiting systems. This has applications for defence, SSA and in-orbit inspection domains. The project will seek to develop a prototype hardware system as well as a preliminary concept-of-operations to enable the camera to perform as required.

P7.02

Project Leader:
William Crowe, High Earth Orbit Robotics

Participants:

Very Low Earth Orbit Spacecraft Design for Remote Sensing Missions

SPACE DEMONSTRATOR PROGRAM

Very Low Earth Orbit (VLEO) is a region of space above the Karmon line and up to The International Space Station of approximately 450km. This region is a challenge to operate due to atmospheric conditions limiting the total lifespan of a typical satellite.

The development of a purpose-built attitude and orbit control system (AOCS) for operation in VLEO will create new mission opportunities, improving data products and communication services. The operational advantage of closer proximity to ground and high revisit rates will bring enhanced commercial products and capabilities to consumers, expanding the ease and access to space. The AOCS will bring innovation on low atmospheric density orbital control, coupling new propulsion methods and attitude manoeuvring concepts for sustainment of new small satellite operations.

P7.03

Project Leader:
Patrick Wang, Space Ops Australia

Participants:

Automated instant high resolution imagery procurement and integration

SPACE DEMONSTRATOR PROGRAM

The aim of this project is to research and develop an automated technical solution that solves the problem of integrating large commercial Earth Observation data workflows into open source and/or academic projects as demonstrated by our partner CSIRO – Open Data Cube (ODC). This will result in unprecedented industry efficiency and standardisation, leading to high frequency automated processing of large high resolution EO data types.

Data rich high resolution satellite Earth observation data contains enormous analysis potential. However, acquiring this data through traditional methods presents users with numerous hurdles when integrating into user workflows. Large file sizes, disparate data archives, lack of standardisation, poor workflow integration option, opaque pricing and licensing terms stunt the uptake and unlocking of valuable insights from these datasets. This project addresses these issues directly, creates new opportunities for users and unlocks new demand for data suppliers.

P7.04

Project Leader:
Scott Owens, Arlula Pty Ltd

Participants: