Mini satellite made at Adelaide University, launched in 2017 in USA, part of space revival in South Australia
Dr Matthew Tetlow with the SUSat satellite built at Adelaide University for launch in 2017.
Image courtesy University of Adelaide
A miniaturised satellite named SUSat, built over four years by about 50 Adelaide University staff and students, was launched in a cargo space craft from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in 2017.
The size of a loaf of bread, it is one of three “nanosatellites” developed in Australia under the European-funded project, QB50 — an international network of 50 cubesats. They investigated the thermosphere — a layer of atmosphere about 95-500km from the Earth's surface — to increase understanding of climate and weather modelling. Data from Adelaide’s SuSat was collected up to three times per day via the University of South Australia’s Institute for Telecommunications’ ground station at Mawson Lakes.
The South Australian government gave $300,000 towards developing the Adelaide University satellite as part of its push for Australia to become involved in the $323 billion space industry.
That involvement was supported by astronaut Andy Thomas, an Adelaide University mechanical engineering doctorate graduate who was on four missions into space during 22 years with NASA in the United States. Thomas was at 68th International Astronautical Congress in Adelaide in 2017, where an Australian Space Agency was announced.
A state government space studies program with $50,000 in scholarships was announced for the University of South Australia and International Space University southern hemisphere space studies.
