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AI-enabled technology for autonomous spacecraft said to have transformational capability for economic applications on Earth .

The three-year project , Spacecraft Autonomy and Onboard AI for Next Generation Space Systems – known as SCARLET-α – will bring together eight SmartSat partners : Airbus , Asension , Deakin University , Defence Science and Technology Group , Leonardo Australia , Saab Australia , Swinburne University of Technology and University of South Australia ( UniSA ) in a collaborative research effort .

Professor Andy Koronios , CEO , SmartSat

This investment is possible through the great support of the Federal Government CRC Program Australia and will help develop cuttingedge technologies in space autonomy .”

SCARLET-α aims to create a set of autonomous algorithms that will enable small and distributed spacecraft to make decisions independently , optimise the use of available resources and capabilities , adapt to changing conditions and handle critical situations – without intervention from Earth .

The project will focus on high impact areas of spacecraft autonomy and onboard AI as identified and prioritised with the industry and defence partners , including :

• Onboard processing and actionable intelligence

• Small spacecraft and constellation resilience

• Dynamic optimisation of constellation resources

• Real-time tasking and resource allocation

“ With next-generation space systems on the horizon , the possibilities for science , discovery and innovation are endless . SmartSat is well placed to progress Australia ’ s spacecraft autonomy capabilities to help our nation remain innovative and at the forefront of technology .”

SmartSat CRC Chair of Artificial Intelligence , UniSA STEM Professor Ryszard Kowalczyk , who is leading the project , says spacecraft autonomy will be a key feature of the next generation space systems .

“ Spacecraft that can operate independently of ground contact will be able to respond to unexpected events in real time without needing to wait for commands from Earth . This autonomy will improve Australia ’ s remote sensing capabilities and other vital services undertaken in space – allowing us to push the boundaries even further in orbit .”

SmartSat CEO Professor Andy Koronios , says that , to date , onboard processing has been limited to data collection but researchers hope the algorithms they develop will allow spacecraft to perform many tasks with less intervention from human operators .

“ As autonomous technologies advance and are embraced , their place in space will expand and present new opportunities for applications here on Earth . The next generation of satellite communications and earth observation will be achieved using integrated systems of satellite constellations operating autonomously and performing multiple tasks in real time . Such AI-enabled technologies promise to transform the major sectors of our economy , such as agriculture , farming and mining and better serve our defence and national security objectives .

“ It will help increase the responsiveness and continuity of spacebased observations , minimise communication and data access delays and reduce the costs for both space and ground operations .”

SCARLET-α is the flagship of a suite of projects SmartSat will deliver under its SCARLET lab ( laboratory ), a SmartSat initiative to develop innovative technologies across spacecraft autonomy , on-board Artificial Intelligence ( AI ) and data analytics .

The lab provides a collaborative platform to bring together researchers and industry to advance autonomy and produce tangible outcomes for Defence and Civil pursuits – enabling Australia ’ s next space missions . p

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