Photo of the FedSat Satellite
Professor Alex Grant, Convenor - 2004-2009
Australian Research Council (ARC) research networks are platforms designed to bring together researchers at the forefront of their fields of expertise, sharing knowledge and collaborating across disciplinary and geographical boundaries.
Building on existing research links, the national ARC Communications Research Network ACoRN, hosted by ITR, has already grown into an impressive network of more than 200 esteemed Australian researchers working in the field of information and communication technologies, both nationally and internationally.
ITR's Professor Alex Grant is the Network Convenor.
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Photo of the FedSat Satellite |
The Cooperative Research Centre for Satellite Systems (CRCSS) was established in 1998 as part of a major government initiative to develop skills for space based industries. It completed its operations in 2006. The mission of CRCSS was to deliver a new, sustainable advantage for Australian industries and government agencies involved in services based on the applications of future generations of small satellites.
The program involved a number of industry and academic organisations. ITR was one of the largest partners in the program that combined over $70m of cash and in-kind that went towards various research and development programs.
The major project of the CRCSS was the design, implementation and development of a microsatellite, called FedSat, with various experimental payloads on board, including a GPS, Magnatometer, High Performance Computing Experiment and advance communications payload (UHF and Ka band). FedSat was a 58kg microsatellite that orbited at an altitude of approximately 800km. It was operational for over four years until its on-board batteries reached the end of their operational lifetime.
ITR made significant contributions to the FedSat program having designed and developed the baseband and UHF electronics as part of the communications experimental payload, as well as corresponding ground terminals. In addition, ITR developed the transmit/receive ground station used to communicate with FedSat with other CRCSS partners.
ITR provided the lead role for this program. The objectives were to:
develop new communications techniques for the use in future small low earth orbit (LEO) satellite communications and Earth observation constellations
develop innovative solutions to network management, and to satellite tracking and control
test applications in new services such as Two Way Paging, Mobile Computing and Internet Access for uses in remote areas
find new solutions to the design of LEO satellite communications systems and networks that are robust in the face of interference and fading.
ITR contributed to the following Satellite Communications Research Program projects:
Design and development of on-board, regenerative satellite communications payload (baseband, UHF and Ka bands)
New Ka and UHF frequency band techniques for communications and data delivery, including development of modulation, coding and multiple access techniques for LEO satellite communications as well as on board signal regeneration and processing
Development of new architectures, protocols and traffic control techniques for Internet and ATM-like services via LEO satellites
Advanced LEO satellite earth terminals for low cost, low power two-way messaging in remote areas