Local space start-up Safety from Space is partnering with Flinders University, University of South Australia, SmartSat CRC and the Defence Science and Technology Group to develop an innovative satellite messaging beacon system.
The research project is one of four initiatives to receive funding in the latest round of grants from the Defence Innovation Partnership’s Collaborative Research Fund (CRF).
It will introduce a new technique for satellite-based connectivity for emergency services and Defence personnel in hazardous environments to be used when ground-based communications network infrastructure is unavailable.
Minister for Defence and Space Industries Susan Close said the program continues to deliver real life technological solutions not only for Defence, but across broader industries.
“The project proposed by Safety from Space and partners is a great example of the capability of South Australia’s space industry and the importance of cross-sector innovation, with potential applications across both Defence operations and civilian humanitarian and disaster response operations,” she said.
Defence SA Chief Executive Richard Price said this year’s successful projects would strengthen the capabilities of South Australia’s innovative research community.
“South Australia has a long history of success in collaborative defence research and development and the quality of applications received for round 6 of the CRF are testament to this, with highly capable teams including senior and experienced researchers and industry partners represented,” he said.
“There was also a strong representation from the Defence Science and Technology Group which demonstrates the strong alignment of this research with Defence priorities.”
The full list of projects to receive funding:
| Research project | Project leads | Partners | Funding |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dual use satellite messaging beacon system for Defence and Emergency Services Personnel | Safety from Space | Flinders University, University of South Australia, SmartSat CRC and Defence Science and Technology Group | $150,000 |
| Sensing semiconductor devices with terahertz waves | University of Adelaide | Flinders University, Keysight Technologies Australia Pty Ltd and Defence Science and Technology Group | $150,000 |
| Rapid environmental monitoring using autonomous systems | University of Adelaide | Flinders University, Acacia Systems Pty Ltd and Defence Science and Technology Group | $148,658 |
| Validation of a test and evaluation model for planning and architecture optimisation | University of South Australia | The University of Adelaide, Nova Systems and Defence Science and Technology Group | $149,404 |
The CRF has unlocked more than $12 million of collaborative defence and space R&D activity across 29 projects in South Australia in the past five years.