UNSW proposes that the co-funded Chair part of our core partnership of SmartSat CRC be changed, to a project-based co-funded capability-building activity at UNSW Canberra in the form of funded positions within the university, whose combined efforts in the area of cyber resilient/secure artificial intelligence (AI) for space systems would grow critical mass and in turn an enduring centre of expertise for Australia in secure intelligent space systems R&D.

Accordingly, two excellent Level B and C academics will be recruited for three years, with the expectation that by the end of that period they will have successfully achieved promotion to Level C and D respectively, and (pending funding and faculty decisions leading up to that moment) will then be considered for conversion to a continuing appointment with ongoing salary provided by the university. Including on-costs and approximate salary increase due to band progression and enterprise bargaining increments, the cost of this will be approximately $1.05M over three years. The focus of will be on the development and TRL-raising of technologies for the deployment of cyber resilient/secure distributed intelligence satellite constellations.

The expected outcome is to produce state-of-the-art distributed-AI frameworks for cybersecure and resilient space systems. This will be in the shape of AI-algorithms, hardware testing, and demonstrations (simulations, emulations, and eventually deployment) of in-orbit AI-security space systems. This directly aligns with SmartSat’s Indo-Pacific Connector Capability Demonstration Program and will complement and add value to flagship technology developments such as the DSTG RMS Starshot and University of Adelaide/UNSW Trailblazer University Program space missions.