APRSAF Country Report 2011 Australia

APRSAF Country Report 2011 Australia

Mission to Mars (Yr 9&10) Mission to the Orbiting Space Laboratory (Yr 9&10) Robotic Mission to Mars (Yr 9&10) Primary Expedition to the M.A.R.S. Base (Yr 5&6) VCE Analytical Chemistry, Astronomy & Astrophysics Primary hands-on programs Space Science (Yr 7&8) Video Conferencing programs On-line Learning Teacher Professional Learning (incl. pre-service teacher training) Competitions Public Talks www.vssec.vic.edu.au

CSIRO Astronomy and Space Science: Outreach and Education Outreach & Education website & resources Teacher workshops around Australia PULSE@Parkes Education email newsletter Scientists in Schools Visitor centres at Parkes Observaory & Canberra Deep Space Communication Complex Provide expertise to other institutions and education bodies

NASA s Deep Space Network Canberra Deep Space Communication Complex www.cdscc.nasa.gov NASA s Deep Space Network Three tracking stations located in Australia, the USA and Spain Provides 24-hour two-way communication with 50 interplanetary robotic spacecraft Managed on NASA s behalf in Australia by the CSIRO Space Education Canberra Space Centre A unique learning environment located at a working science facility Students and educators experience a free, interactive learning program All age groups catered for and programs tailored for specific curriculum outcomes

Powerhouse Museum Powerhouse Museum and Sydney Observatory Sydney Australia School visit programs at PHM and Obs, with emphasis on human space exploration at PHM and astronomy at Obs Public programs at PHM and Obs for Yuri s Night and World Space Week. Space/astronomy themed activities for school aged children (focus primary/junior secondary) during October school holidays Space-themed public lecture series at PHM covering both space history and current space activities Special display of space artefacts for Ultimo Science Festival in addition to permanent Space exhibition Venue for, and partner in development of, Pathways to Space education and science communication research program, funded by Australian Space Research Program.

Located 70 km north of Perth, WA outreach centre for the Australian International Gravity Observatory Activities The Leaning Tower gravity experiments Discovery Gallery hands on exhibits and displays Cosmology Gallery astrophotography Timeline of the Universe Black Holes Dome Projection dome movie Indigenous Cosmology storytelling Solar System Walk - cosmic scale, ecology & biodiversity Zadko Telescope and AIGO research Gingin Observatory telescopes Education research being conducted into attitudes of students and teachers conducting authentic research (asteroid detection) and specialist science programs http://www.gravitycentre.com.au

Australia s National Science and Technology Centre, Questacon, is bringing fresh energy and expertise to Australia s involvement in GLOBE under new administrative arrangements from November 2012. The GLOBE program is a worldwide hands-on, school-based science and education program, supporting students, teachers and scientists to collaborate with NASA and NOAA on inquiry-based investigations of the environment and earth systems.

Public astronomy events Public talks The International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research theskynet project National Science Week Community Outreach Education University open days Regional tours School visits and programmes SPIRIT - remote telescope for school students Work Experience students Scholarship undergraduate programmes Teacher conferences and professional development workshops www.icrar.org

South Australian Space School An annual three-day residential program for high school students in Year 10. National Space Camp An annual five-day residential program for high school students in Year 11. Previously held in locations including Woomera, Canberra, and the Victorian Space Science Education Centre (Melbourne). www.spaceschool.com

Spaceward Bound Scientists, Engineers and Teachers working in remote locations that provide an analog for human exploration of our solar system. http://spacewardbound.nasa.gov/index.html The second of these Australian events was held this year. Spaceward Bound Australia: Pilbara 9 th 21 st July 2011. 23 participants, including 5 teachers. The Dawn of Life trail (DLT), surveying stromatolites in three distinct locations (Pilbara, Shark Bay, Cervantes) and analysing for planetary science significance, testing space hardware e.g. NDX 1 Spacesuit, providing training to teachers in geology and astrobiology and conduct outreach in the field and at Scitech (Perth Science centre). MSA conducts the annual Australian Mars Exploration Conference (AMEC) this year at the University of WA on 23 rd and 24 th of July. Next year, Australian National University many international delegates. http://www.marssociety.org.au/ WA outreach, special presentations, student talks and competitions through the Centre for Planetary and Space Studies (CPSS). CPSS Centre for Planetary and Space Studies

Research School of Astronomy and Astrophysics World Top Five Astronomy and Astrophysics Research Professor Brian Schmidt, 2011 Nobel Prize in Physics Giant Magellan Telescope, International Consortium Partner Design and engineering lead on adaptive optics and control systems Sky Mapper Telescope, RSAA design and build World-first comprehensive mapping of southern hemisphere Advanced Instrumentation Technology Centre Asia Pacific centre of excellence for design, build and testing space payloads International Alliance of Research Universities Global Summer Program National University of Singapore - Student Exchange Program Australian Science Week Astronomy Education Partner Questacon Science Circus Science Training Partner Student Scholarships Undergraduate, Graduate, PhD Undergraduate Winter Schools and Internships National High School Outreach Program mso.anu.edu.au

University of Adelaide Aerospace Activities AIAA Adelaide student branch 1 st CANSAT project Multi-stage sounding rocket project CUBESAT MkIII design and build ISSET Mission Discovery Life Impact The University of Adelaide

The Australian Space Research Institute www.asri.org.au

Australian Youth Aerospace Association National student operated organisation with representatives in all states Australian Youth Aerospace Forum (for year 11/12 students) Brisbane (and Melbourne starting 2012) 5 day live-in experience University lectures, career presentation, design and build competitions, industry tours Aerospace Futures (for university undergraduates) Brisbane 2010, Melbourne 2011, Sydney 2012 3 day careers/industry presentations/networking conference Up to 200 delegates in 2012 AeroDesign (practical activities) Design competition to win funding to build and test a design Backyard project support network

Pathways to space: An education and research project Funded to $987,574 by the Australian Space Research Program 2010 2013 Located at the Powerhouse Museum, Sydney, Australia High school students use what is thought to be the best public access Marsyard in the world, plan and carry out a mission in the yard Ongoing research in the Marsyard by engineers and scientists 40 undergraduate students working in Marsyard in 2011, mostly on individual research projects. Three doctoral programs linked to Pathways Virtual access to Marsyard and project for schools in Australia and elsewhere in the world from February, 2012 More details at www.pathwaystospace.org The two rovers in the 140 square metre Powerhouse Marsyard the smaller rover is used for outreach and the larger for research

Power Point Presentation Title 9 January to 11 February 2012

Airborne analogues of satellite-based observation $1M grant from the Commonwealth Government s Australian Space Research Program Student-initiated projects with just-in-time learning about instrument capability Project scaffolded with teacher professional development, internet-based support, etc (e.g. project planning tool)

ASRP12: A Comprehensive Tertiary Education Program in Satellite Systems Engineering Develop a full two year masters program in Satellite Systems Engineering Establish a practical, project based component to complement the masters program Masters comprises 8 core courses in year 1 4 electives and a year long project in year 2 The Masters provides students with a comprehensive overview of satellite systems from the space system to the ground terminal, the end user, and the applications Cubesat based practical project to be evolved into a national payload competition 11 th Australian Space Science Conference, September 2011, Canberra Australia 18

Antarctic Broadband Project to deliver high bandwidth satellite communications to Antarctic Research community ASRP-funded project completed in November 2011 Seeking partners for follow-on project to build and launch Demonstrator Satellite Winner of Engineers Australia Engineering Excellence Award in September 2011 Ground station operational Based at Mt Stromlo, Canberra Available for use by research and not-for-profit organisations S-Band down and UHF up Ka-band nanosatellite payload developed Low power, high throughput transponder To be flown on demonstrator mission Visit www.antarcticbroadband.com for more information and recently published papers