Technology designed to evolve.
AUSTRALIS combines a scalable and modular spacecraft platform architecture with a reprogrammable communications payload designed for rapid reconfiguration.
Modular by design.
The AUSTRALIS program is focused on developing a robust mechanical, communications and software architecture foundation that allows for rapid scalability and capability development. This foundational architecture will be demonstrated in the AUSTRALIS 1 mission and evolved over subsequent missions.
The following is an overview of the key foundational technologies that define the AUSTRALIS architecture, and that will be demonstrated in the AUSTRALIS 1 mission:
Spacecraft bus
A modular structure designed with clearly defined avionics bays to maximise thermal and mechanical properties while minimising interference and integration time. Mission bays are reconfigurable to allow the bus to be adapted for a variety of payloads without re-design. Entire design is scalable to facilitiate increase in size as payload SWAP requirements evolve.
Scalable spacecraft dispenser
Clear Space Technologies will design and build a scalable spacecraft dispenser that will support dense satellite packaging for rapid constellation deployment. The dispenser will provide controlled spacecraft release, and be reusable where launch vehicles facilitate this capability i.e. return to Earth.
Independent TT&C
A robust, low-rate Telemetry, Tracking and Command path is kept independent of the experimental payload to preserve acquisition, safe-mode command and recovery capability.
Software-defined communications
A reconfigurable SDR supports adaptable waveforms, in-flight software updates, inter-satellite networking and mission experiments.
Inter-satellite link
The two spacecraft exchange data directly, enabling cooperative operations and demonstrating a fundamental building block for larger distributed orbital networks.
Australian-led operations
An Australian engineered ground station will be combined with commercial ground station networks to support commissioning and routine mission operations.
Layered autonomy and recovery
Mission software is structured around bounded autonomy, fault detection, recoverable update paths and the ability to isolate experimental functions from platform safety functions.
Prototype quickly. Verify rigorously.
Build quickly, test deliberately. The AUSTRALIS development program incorporates detailed simulation, hardware-in-the-loop testing, and rigorous environmental testing to move from concept to a mature TRL. Nothing is left to chance.
Detailed system parameters and proprietary implementation information are available through appropriate partnership discussions.