The plenary and invited speakers for conference:

Dr Craig Benson (Skykraft)

Dr Kate Brand (Bureau of Meteorology)

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)

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.