The Minister for Science and Technology, Peter McGauran announced today a major restructuring of Australia's space effort and a new role for CSIRO. The highlight is a program to launch a small experimental satellite.
¥ Satellite technology is coming of age in assisting farmers and miners, and in environmental and climate monitoring, where Australia has special requirements that can not always be fulfilled by other nations' satellites.
¥ The micro satellite mission, to be known as FEDSAT, will conduct scientific experiments to prepare for practical applications such as earth observation and communications.
¥ The first satellite will be orbited during the centenary of Federation in 2001.
¥ The microsatellite program is to be an integral part of a Cooperative Research Centre proposal being prepared by CSIRO in collaboration with appropriate partners.
The restructuring is, however, more fundamental than this one project. A small Space Policy Unit will be established in the Department of Industry, Science and Tourism to maintain an overview of international space activities and set policy in the national interest.
The Minister has made clear that CSIRO will have prime responsibility for planning and executing space programs on behalf of the Government, in conjunction with other Departments and instrumentalities that use space, universities and industry.
A Space Activities Board will be set up by CSIRO involving these groups and the Space Policy Unit. The Minister will chair meetings of the Board from time to time to assess progress and guide future directions.
The Minister has agreed to transfer to CSIRO the activities of the NASA tracking station at Tidbinbilla to facilitate greater synergy with CSIRO's existing world class radio astronomy and radio physics activities
The Chief Executive of CSIRO, Dr Malcolm McIntosh, in welcoming these enhancements from the Minister, emphasised that it would be a cooperative activity involving all those with a contribution to make.
Contact:
Carmel Christensen, Minister's Office (06) 2777 660
Julian Cribb, CSIRO (06) 276 6244, (06) 286 6022 (a.h.)
Jeff Kingwell, CSIRO (06) 216 7224 (w), 06-282 1093 (a.h.)