Australian Space Research Conference
Broaden Our Horizons: Sydney, December 2-4, 2024
About the Conference
ASRC2024
The 23rd Australian Space Research Conference (ASRC) was held in Sydney at the University of NSW (Kensington campus) over December 2 to 4, 2024. It was a 3 day conference.
This conference is organised by the National Space Society of Australia, Mars Society Australia, and members of the Australian space research community with a heritage of organising 16 successful ASRC meetings to date.
The organising committee extends a warm invitation to space scientists, engineers, educators, and industry, government, and NGO personnel.
Abstracts Close: 13 September 2024
Abstracts Accepted: 20 September 2024
Registrations Open: 30 September 2024
Draft Program Release: 14 October 2024
Conference Start: 2 December 2024
Conference End: 4 December 2024
Explore the diverse range of topics our conference covers
-
Delve into the universe's mysteries through topics like space and atmospheric physics, Earth observation and remote sensing, planetary sciences, astrobiology, and space-based astronomy and astrophysics.
-
Explore how space affects living organisms, from understanding the complexities of human habitability in space to the study of life sciences in extraterrestrial environments.
-
Discover the technological backbone of space exploration, encompassing communications, navigation, space operations, propulsion, and spacecraft design, testing, and operation.
-
Learn about the commercial and economic aspects of space exploration, from space-based industries to the business strategies propelling space ventures.
-
Unearth the past and indigenous perspectives on space with a focus on space archaeology and archaeoastronomy, the study of ancient, indigenous astronomical knowledge.
-
Stay informed about the ever-evolving space environment, including space weather and the tracking and prediction of natural and artificial objects in space.
-
Get to know both current and future Australian space initiatives that aim to push the boundaries of our understanding and capabilities in space.
-
Delve into the legal and international aspects of space exploration, including international relations, space policy, and law.
-
Understand the educational efforts and workforce development initiatives essential for growing and maintaining a thriving space sector.
The plenary and invited speakers for conference:
Dr Craig Benson (Skykraft)
Dr Melrose Brown (UNSW Canberra)
Dr Julie Currie (RMIT University)
Professor Andrew Dempster (UNSW Sydney)
Roger Franzen (EarthSpace)
Professor Trevor Ireland (University of Queensland)
Dr Imogen Jones (AIAA)
Dr Sascha Schediwy (University of West Australia)
Professor Michele Trenti (University of Melbourne)
Dr Sara Webb (Swinburne University)
Conference Activities
Monday December 2
NSW SRN Panel discussion
1:30pm Stream 3
“IAC + Opportunities for 2025”
After one of the most eventful years yet in the international space industry, we ask the question ‘What’s next?’.
Australian space industry is on the brink of a new era — one that promises groundbreaking opportunities and innovations domestically and internationally. As we hurtle toward 2025, advancements in technology, policy, and private-sector involvement are opening up exciting opportunities in the Australian Space industry.
During this session, NSW Space Research Network and SIAA representatives will discuss what practical opportunities 2025 will present; and how the NSW SRN intends to support the academic community to contribute to the Space research landscape in a meaningful way.
A detailed agenda is now available for review.
Submit your questions via SLIDO here:
https://app.sli.do/event/ukcVi3eDnw4E4cXj7CohTX (Slido Code: 1040560)
Conference cocktail function
This will be held at 4:30 pm Monday after the poster presentations.
Tuesday December 3
Panel sessions
Stream 1: Lessons learned from recent projects
https://app.sli.do/event/n4XhvWXE4rEbVq3zU7VxGa (Slido Code: 1040560)
Stream 2: Workforce development
https://app.sli.do/event/madTnKQBTVYrtdndttC3Si (Slido Code: 4090171)
Conference dinner
This will be held at the Rooftop in Surry Hills in the City CBD.
Address is Level 11, 28 Albion st, Surry Hills
Easy transport to the venue is available via light rail (L3 route) from the university. 6:30pm for 7:00 pm start AEDT.
Cost is $100 per person. The dinner includes a 3 course meal with 2 drinks included (further drinks are available but at an additional cost).
The dinner event is now fully booked but a waiting list will be used for last minute substations.
Dress code for the dinner is smart casual.
Public Events
Monday December 2
David Cooper Memorial lecture sponsored by the Mars Society Australia.
Dr Steve Hobbs: “Eyes on the Ground: Mars, Robots and Remote Sensing.” This is a public lecture but conference delegates are most welcome. Expected start time is 700pm AEDT (doors open at 6:30pm).
Eventbrite link to book is URL:
Wednesday December 4
CICADA Innovations – Space Hub Connect event
The last Space Hub Connect of the year will celebrate the successful launch and ground breaking journey of Waratah Seed and learn how powerful partnerships are driving space innovation forward.
The event will explore how partnerships fuel innovation, from funding and support networks to sharing technical expertise at IAC 2025.
Guest speakers include Professor Iver Cairns Waratah Seed and CUAVA-2 project lead, and Dr Annie Handmer, IAC 2025 IPC Co-Chair.
When: Wednesday 4 December 5:45pm - 8:00pm AEDT
Location: Cicada Innovations, 4 Cornwallis Street, Eveleigh
Register here at:
https://events.humanitix.com/space-hub-connect-waratah-seed-and-the-power-of-partnerships
Prizes for Presentations
There was a large number of students and early career researchers (ECR) presenting their research work at the 23rd Australian Space Research Conference.
We awarded several prizes (money and a certificate) for:
• Best Undergraduate Oral Presentation
• Best Postgraduate Oral Presentation
• Best Student Poster presentation
• Best Early Career Researcher presentation
Best Undergraduate Oral Presentation Prize
1st Prize – Anay Ashwin, Haileybury College
“Virtual Reality in Space Medicine: A Dual Approach Using Biophilic and Terraphilic Designs to Enhance Psychological Resilience for Long-Duration Spaceflight”
2nd Prize – Jayden Squire, University of Adelaide
“Rb-Sr thermochronology of the Gosses Bluff (Tnorala) impact structure, central Australia”
3rd Prize - Emily Sacks, Ming Zhu and team, University of Sydney
“Student-Driven CubeSat Mission Concept for Space Debris Monitoring”
Best Postgraduate Oral Presentation Prize
1st Prize – Josef Richmond, Australian National University
“Regolith charging and lofting on the Lunar surface : Laboratory simulations of the Lunar dayside”
2nd Prize - Vera Hoogland, Queensland University of Technology
“Complex microbial life and major bolide impacts recorded in the 2.63 Ga Carawine Dolomite (Hamersley Group), Western Australia”
3rd Prize – George Wu, University of Sydney
“Towards 3D Printing in Orbit: Disturbance-free path planning with multi-objective optimisation”
Best Early Careeer Researcher Oral Presentation Prize
1st Prize – Ignatius Rivaldi, UNSW Sydney
“Commissioning and early operations of HarryV3 GNSS-R payload on CUAVA-2”
2nd Prize – Larissa Markwardt, University of Auckland
“From Colors to Spectra: First NIR Spectroscopic Survey of Neptune Trojan”
3rd Prize – Erik Schartner, University of Adelaide
“Identifying the composition of lunar feldspar minerals through a new real-time optical technique”
Best Student Poster
1st Prize (tie) – Josef Richmond, Australian National University
“A Solar vacuum ultraviolet source for space environment simulations”
1st Prize (tie) – Dorota Mieczkowska, University of Western Australia
“POLON - POLSA Optical Network”
2nd Prize – Grace Hotham, Queensland University of Technology
“Surface Wave Tomography of the Moon: Improved Seismic Analysis of the Apollo 16 Landing Site via Reconstruction of Historical Seismic Data using Compressed Sensing and Basis Pursuit Denoising.”
3rd Prize – Shathria Ompragash, UNSW Canberra
“A Parametric Study on the Effects of Predicted vs. Observed Space Weather on the Orbit of a Drag Controlled Satellite”
There were a number of markers working on the marking task for the committee. The following delegates deserve thanks:
Zaid Ahmed, Lucyna Chudczer , Melanie Ferlazzo, Eamonn Glennon, Julian Grodzicky, Trevor Harris , Jonti Horner, Guifre Molera Calves, Stefania Peracchi, Jennifer Sharp, Yang Yang and Brian Yuccas
Conference Proceedings
There will be the opportunity for delegates who presented their research work at the 2024 conference to submit papers for academic peer review. These reviewed papers will be compiled into a conference proceedings with a designated ISBN number.
Previous proceedings are available for review here.
A sample paper of the suitable format in MS word is available to download here.
The paper submissions portal is expected to be operational by February 1, 2025 and the final date for papers submissions is February 28, 2025.
Registration Rates
-
Early-bird - $100
Normal - $150
-
Early-bird - $250
Normal - $315
-
Early-bird - $300
Normal - $375
-
Normal - $190
-
Normal - $190
Accommodation
The Sydney CBD is close-by to the Kensington campus and reachable in around 20 minutes by the light-rail (L3 line.)
Unfortunately short-duration student accommodation on campus is not available during the conference. Those wishing nearby accommodation should examine a consolidated list of options we have prepared.
Location
Organising Committee
Cheryl Brown, Secretariat
Annalea Beattie, Mars Society Australia, National Space Society of Australia
Iver Cairns, Conference Co Chair, University of Sydney
Guifre’ Molera Calves, University of Tasmania
Jack Dwyer, National Space Society of Australia
Trevor Harris, University of Adelaide
Li Qiao, Chair - Program Committee, UNSW Canberra
Wayne Short, Conference Co Chair, President, NSSA
Yang Yang, UNSW Sydney
Inquiries
General Inquiries:
asrcconference@nssa.com.au
phone: +61 411 296 541
Abstracts:
asrc-abstracts@nssa.com.au
Registrations:
asrcsecretariat@nssa.com.au
Sponsors
UNSW Sydney
NSW Space Research Network
LEAP Australia
Scitek Australia
US Office of Naval Research Global
ASRC position statement 15/08/2024
The National Space Society of Australia (NSSA) originally initiated the conference series in 2001. Its collaboration with the Australian Academy of Science, through the National Committee for Space Science (NCSS), began in early 2007. Since its inception, the conference has been hosted in most Australian states, serving as a valuable platform for academics and researchers to present their latest findings and to network with peers and professionals in the field.
Presenting at ASRC provides researchers with the opportunity to receive feedback and constructive criticism on their work from local peers and experts, enhancing collaborations, partnerships, and the exchange of ideas within Australia. Additionally, the conference offers opportunities to develop collaborations, network, and publish peer-reviewed papers, providing a formal outlet for disseminating research findings. The increasing number of attendees and the expanding range of topics over the years reflect the flourishing of Australian space research. According to the annual surveys conducted after the conference, the ASRC is regarded as a highly valuable event within the Australian space ecosystem.
Organizing this conference requires the joint efforts of various parties. The NSSA has handled operations such as registration and budget management, while the technical program is managed by academics from various Australian universities on the program and conference organising committees, focusing on fostering Australian space research.
The unexpected withdrawal of Curtin University from hosting an ASRC in Perth in September this year has been disruptive to everyone. While some academics left following the withdrawal, over half have remained on the organizing committee. These ASRC committees wish to express their appreciation for the work that has been done to date, particularly by colleagues from Curtin University who were members of the local organizing committee.
The organizing committee hopes to run another ASRC in Sydney in late 2024, currently being termed the 23rd ASRC. As before, the conference will be organised by members of the NSSA and the Australian space research community, with a heritage of organising 16 successful ASRC meetings so far. Accordingly, as always before, research excellence remains the primary priority. The conference’s organising committee currently contains four space research academics, who are actively serving at Australian universities in Sydney, Canberra, Hobart, and Adelaide. They include a former chair of NCSS.
We hope you will continue your support of, and attendance at, the 23rd ASRC, as your involvement and collaboration are crucial to the continued success and growth of the ASRC and Australia’s space research community. The current plan is that all abstracts submitted to the cancelled September ASRC will be transferred to the late 2024 meeting, with opportunities given to withdraw abstracts and to submit new abstracts. We look forward to being in contact with more details as soon as possible. Your contributions help ensure that we can provide a good platform for sharing innovative research and fostering meaningful connections within our Australian space community.