Australia and UK Reinforce Space Bridge Partnership for Innovation

Australia and the United Kingdom have reaffirmed their commitment to advancing space-related collaboration with a renewed agreement signed on October 1, 2023, during the International Astronautical Congress held in Sydney. The heads of the respective space agencies, Enrico Palermo from the Australian Space Agency and Paul Bate from the UK Space Agency, formalized the continuation of the Space Bridge Framework Arrangement, originally established in 2021 to enhance investment, research, and cooperation between the two nations.

The Space Bridge initiative aims to facilitate partnerships between companies and academic institutions in both countries. As Bate explained, “Companies and academic groups in Australia and in the UK want to collaborate, but the government can make those collaborations easier and provide some funding when it comes to the research and development side.” This funding is crucial for fostering innovative projects and ensuring both countries can leverage their strengths in space exploration and technology.

Key Projects Highlighted in the Partnership

One notable collaborative effort under the Space Bridge is the AquaWatch project, which focuses on monitoring water quality using space and ground-based technologies. This initiative involves multiple partners, including Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd., Pixalytics Ltd., Assimila Ltd., the University of Stirling, RAL Space, Australia’s national science agency CSIRO, and Deloitte Australia. AquaWatch received funding of £479,000 (approximately $644,142) to integrate satellite data with in-situ water measurements. The project was among 23 initiatives awarded funding on September 30, 2023, from the UK Space Agency’s International Bilateral Fund.

The fund, which totals £6.5 million, supports collaborations between UK companies and research organizations and their counterparts in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, India, Japan, Lithuania, and the United States. This financial backing is designed to enhance the capabilities of both nations in space technology.

Another significant project, the Long Baseline Multistatic Radar for Deep Space Domain Awareness, brings together the University of Birmingham, Goonhilly Earth Station, the University of Manchester, CSIRO, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Lincoln Laboratory. This initiative has been allocated £452,000 to develop systems for detecting and tracking small objects in geostationary orbit.

Furthermore, the Satellite Applications Catapult Ltd., Space Machines, and the University of Sydney secured £447,000 to investigate the movement of liquid fuel inside spacecraft and its impact on stability and pointing. The partnership between Space Machines and Lunasa Ltd. aims to develop key technologies for autonomous rendezvous and proximity operations (RPO). Their project will integrate Lunasa’s autonomous StarLogic RPO kit into Space Machines’ commercial inspection satellite, GEO-Viper, receiving £392,000 from the International Bilateral Fund.

Strengthening Bilateral Cooperation

The renewed partnership under the Space Bridge Framework is designed not only to enhance research and development but also to foster regulatory cooperation between Australia and the UK. Palermo emphasized the importance of collaboration, stating, “We are both developing spaceflight ecosystems. How can we harmonize? How can we share lessons learned? That’s been another part of the Space Bridge.”

With both nations actively working to expand their space capabilities, the Space Bridge initiative represents a significant step towards strengthening their bilateral relationship in the realm of space exploration. As advancements in technology continue to evolve, the collaborative projects funded through this partnership are likely to yield valuable insights and innovations that benefit both countries and the global community.