INDUSTRY NEWS
BREAKING NEWS UNISA’s New Space Age Technologies to Boost the Power of Small Satellites The University of South Australia (UniSA) secured two out of six grants in the latest round of South Australian Defence Innovation Partnership Cooperative Research Grants. Dr Kamil Zuber, a Research Fellow at UniSA’s Future Industries Institute (FII), said the development of freeform optics for small satellites will expand intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capacity and capability for space satellites. “The emerging technology of freeform optics, where mirrors can be designed and manufactured to take on complex shapes, allows us to produce large fields of view in smaller packages – which is a powerful adaptation for the new generation of small satellites that are in rapid development,” Dr Zuber said. Researchers will also collaborate with DST Group, Amaero, SMR and the University of Adelaide to prototype and validate durable coatings for freeform optical components used for small space satellites. “Achieving a stable, durable coating in the harsh low earth orbit environment that is impervious to radiation and atomic oxygen is one of the challenges that this project aims to address,” Dr Zuber said. In addition, another project is being led by FII Research Fellow, Associate Professor Craig Priest to address concerns in the space capabilities to develop satellite systems that can withstand and respond to adverse events.
The burning of rice husks is a major contributor of pollution and landfill in India.
Thermal Energy Storage the Key to Reducing Agricultural Food Pollution Thermal energy researcher at the University of South Australia (UniSA), Professor Frank Bruno has been awarded nearly $1 million by the Federal Government to find a solution to agricultural pollution in Australia and India.
“With several hundred small satellites launched every year, space is becoming crowded and hostile,” Associate Professor Priest said.
Professor Bruno, will lead a project with India’s biggest private university to develop a renewable energy-driven food processing and drying system to reduce pollution and landfill issues across both countries.
“Satellites need to be smaller, more agile, and more energy efficient, with on-board thrust mechanisms that also have minimal hardware.
The three-year $977,585 project is being funded by the Australia-India Strategic Research Fund – Australia’s largest fund dedicated to bilateral science collaboration.
“Our research will be focussed on nanofluidic thrusters which can offer a solution to those challenges,” he concluded.
India is the largest global producer of food, while Australia is one of the world’s largest food exporters. Together, there is scope for greater collaboration between the two countries to help curve agricultural pollution. India also has nine of the top ten cities with the highest air pollution in the world, partially due to agricultural waste burnt by farmers in the field. Professor Bruno’s research will use technology that cuts air pollution and agricultural waste landfill, and also reduces food manufacturers’ costs. “Shifting towards this solution will undoubtedly result in significant amounts of biomass which can then be converted into high-value renewable biofuels,” Professor Bruno said. Professor Bruno’s research will focus on developing high temperature, electrically charged thermal energy storage (ECTES), which can provide heated air for drying, replacing fossil fuels.
The development of freeform optics for small satellites will expand intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capacity and capability for space satellites. Image credit: UniSA.
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This research project will also build on existing research on high temperature ECTES being undertaken by Professor Bruno and his team at UniSA’s Mawson Lakes Campus, in addition to another project to improve the shelf life of milk. WWW.MATERIALSAUSTRALIA.COM.AU
