Instrument Design for Space Missions

[Music plays and the Earth can be seen spinning in Space, and inset images appear of a female operating a computer, a satellite dish, and a female smiling at the camera, and then text appears: Space Careers Wayfinder]

[Image changes to show an aerial view of the Advanced Instrumentation and Technology Centre, and text appears: Advanced Instrumentation and Technology Centre]

[Image changes to show a close view of Dr Joice Mathew talking to the camera, and text appears: Dr Joice Mathew, Instrumentation Scientist, AITC]

Dr Joice Mathew: I am Dr Joice Mathew.

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I am an instrumentation scientist at the Advanced Instrumentation and Technology Centre, or AITC.

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AITC is part of the Research School of Astronomy and Astrophysics at the ANU.

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To observe stars, galaxies and other astronomical objects in our universe we need sophisticated instruments and telescopes.

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We can also use satellite-based sensors to extract information about our Earth.

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So as an instrument scientist, I will design and develop these dedicated instruments by capturing different scientific and engineering requirements for the mission.

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I work on design and development of payloads and optical instruments to observe astronomical objects as well as to look back on Earth to derive critical information about our atmosphere.

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So, satellites have to be very rigid.

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It should be able to withstand vibrations that you would experience on the rocket.

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And it should be able to withstand all this high energy radiation that you will get in space.

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So, once it is up in space, it is taken out of our hands, and we cannot do anything. So, it is very critical that we have to do everything here on Earth to ensure the success of the mission.

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Developing satellites is a huge investment.

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It involves millions of dollars as well as years of hard work by a team of people.

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It can be quite cold or quite hot in space.

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So, it is important to simulate those space-like conditions here on Earth.

[Images move through to show Joice walking through the facility, a close view of the Wombat vacuum chamber, and then Joice and colleagues looking at the Wombat vacuum chamber]

We have a big vacuum chamber called Wombat here at the National Space Test Facility.

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We can ensure that the satellite will work properly even after exposing to those harsh conditions.

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My favourite satellite test is a vibration test that you can see actually the things are moving, and things go like very crazy sometimes.

[Images move through to show Joice lifting a clear piece of plastic, Joice talking to the camera, and then the vibration test machinery in operation]

We have the shaker table where we can simulate for the launch vibrations that you would experience on a rocket. Sometimes it’s nerve-wracking because anything can happen.

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The duration is typically one to two minutes, but that’s a kind of a terror moment that people always just want to get, just finish off with that and see that everything is OK.

[Image changes to show a view looking down on the satellite launching into space from the surface of the Earth, and then the image changes to show the satellite moving over the Earth’s surface]

Once we achieve the desired orbital height, the satellite will be ejected into a certain orbit at a certain horizontal speed.

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So, if this orbital speed is too low, the gravitational pull of the Earth is such that it is more than the centripetal force of the satellite, so eventually the satellite can fall to Earth.

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But if the ejection speed it too high it can escape the orbit of the Earth because the gravitational pull is not that high enough for the centripetal force of the satellite.

[Images move through to show a view looking down on the AITC facility, Joice and colleagues in conversation at a picnic table, and then Joice talking to the camera]

So, when you work on a satellite or a payload it will a team of engineers, scientists, technicians.

[Images move through to show Joice and colleagues in a meeting, Joice talking to the camera, and Joice and his colleagues in conversation as they look at a bank of computer screens]

So, you need to coordinate between the scientists who actually use the data, the engineers who actually build the hardware and the technicians who actually integrate and test it. So, you need to have good leadership skills and communication skills.

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The space sector in Australia have seen a phenomenal growth in the past few years, especially after the establishment of Australian Space Agency.

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We have seen a lot of space industries and startups coming from Australia and that also we can see at the National Space Test Facility the increasing number of testing activities.

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We have been quite busy in the past few years. The space sector is one of the priority areas for the Australian government. And one of the objectives of the government is to create 10,000 soft jobs by the end of 2030.

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So of course, we need more people to work on and together we can achieve more heights.

[Image changes to show a rear view of Joice walking towards two kangaroos in a park and squatting down and looking at them as they hop away]

My advice to you students is always follow the passion.

[Image changes to show Joice seated next to a piece of equipment talking to the camera, and then the image changes to show a close view of Joice talking to the camera]

And if you are interested in something, even if there are many obstacles in your ways, even if your future pathways are not very clear, if you follow your passion and interests, I am sure that something will come up.

[Music plays and the image changes to show the CSIRO logo, and text appears: CSIRO, Australia’s National Science Agency, Space Careers Wayfinder 2022 except where otherwise indicated, The Space Careers Wayfinder materials may be used, reproduced, communicated and adapted free of charge for non-commercial educational purposes provided by all acknowledgements associated with the material are retained, Space Careers Wayfinder is a collaboration between the CSIRO and ANU]

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