The MSA board has formally written to Professor Piper, the Vice-Chancellor of Macquarie University, expressing our disappointment and concern at this development and asking that it be reconsidered in the light of the significance of the Australian Centre for Astrobiology (ACA) and its unique role in Australian Space Science. We are especially concerned at the diminished opportunities the closure of ACA means for student and research choices, forcing Australian students and researchers to move overseas.
The closure was officially announced on the 5th June. Read more in this report in the Australian newspaper.
News
MSA Concerned at Closure of Australian Centre for Astrobiology
Thursday, 21 June 2007
Global Space Exploration Strategy Document Released
Monday, 11 June 2007
Recognising that space exploration is a challenge more optimally done in collaboration, fourteen international space agencies have come together to develop a framework that will focus and guide their collaboration on future space exploration missions. The Global Exploration Strategy presents a vision for robotic and human space exploration, focusing on destinations within the solar system where we may one day live and work. It elaborates an action plan to share the strategies and efforts of individual nations so that all can achieve their exploration goals more effectively and safely. Participating agencies include Australia's CSIRO.
Read the full strategy document on the Canadian Space Agency's website here.
Read the full strategy document on the Canadian Space Agency's website here.
MSA Now Approved Research Institute with Deductible Gift Recipient Status
Sunday, 13 May 2007
In August 2006, the CSIRO granted the Mars Society Australia, Inc. Approved Research Institute status. The MSA Research Institute led by Dr Jonathan Clarke, Vice-President of the MSA, also a member of the Australian Centre for Astrobiology and a member of the Federal Government's Steering Committee and Working Groups for the NCSS Decadal Plan for Space Science. Being so approved, the Australian Tax Office duly approved the MSA's application for Deductible Gift Recipient Status, which allows donors to clain 100% tax concession on all donations over $2.00 to the MSA. The Board of the MSA expects this will advantage our continuing efforts to provide ongoing funding for projects and operations.
MSA Member Michael West Involved in Canadian Phobos Mission
Sunday, 13 May 2007
The Canadian Space Agency (CSA) is evaluating a range of small Mars mission concepts. MSA’s Michael West is on the Mars Institute's project team for one of the studies, the PRIME Mission to Phobos. You can read more about the PRIME mission here.
NASA Ties Help Australian Youth to Look Spaceward Bound
Thursday, 12 April 2007
The next generation of space explorers are now reaping the benefits of a new NASA training program which is about to head to Australia, thanks to local efforts. According to David Cooper, President of the Mars Society Australia, agreement has been reached with organizers of NASA's innovative Spaceward Bound program to extend it to Australia. Spaceward Bound is an educational program organized at NASA's Ames Research Center in partnership with The Mars Society and funded by the Exploration Systems Mission Directorate (ESMD) at NASA Headquarters.
Read the full media release here.
Read the full media release here.
Dr Charles Lineweaver Presents "The Origin of the Universe and Life"
Tuesday, 20 March 2007
In this talk held in Brisbane on Monday 19th March, astrobiologist and cosmologist Charles Lineweaver reviewed what we think we know about the origin of the universe and the origin of life. Where and when did the first stars and terrestrial planets form? Where is there liquid water in the universe? How old is life on Earth? Is life common in the universe? Dr Lineweaver gives pretty good answers to most of these questions and educated speculations about the origin of life on Earth, in our Galaxy and in the Universe.
Read more on the BrisScience website.
Read more on the BrisScience website.
AMEC 2007 Call for Papers
Friday, 9 March 2007
The seventh annual Australian Mars Exploration Conference (AMEC 2007), will be held in Perth over the weekend of the 13th to 15th of July at Trinity College, East Perth. Presentations over this two-day event will cover a range of issues concerned with forging, nurturing and developing the pioneering culture and methods required to explore Mars. MSA invites anyone interested in presenting at the conference to submit a paper to the review committee here. All papers submitted will be peer-reviewed in accordance with DEST guidelines for conference publications. Find out more including how to register at the AMEC2007 homepage. Register now for this exciting event!
Aussie Students Help Select Landing Sites for Mars Science Lab
Tuesday, 13 February 2007
At this year’s AMEC (Australian Mars Exploration Conference) Marion Anderson (Monash University) presented a talk on how she and her students are involved in selecting possible landing sites for MSL (Mars Science Laboratory). This research is being carried out in collaboration with NASA. Marion and her students identified the top twelve possible sites for landing. The sites must conform to a number of criteria, such as having a flat circular area with a diameter of at least 10 km for MSL to land on. Ideally the site would be located between 60 degrees N and 60 degrees S.
Read more here.
Read more here.
AMEC 2006 Report
Monday, 12 February 2007
AMEC 2006 was held over the weekend of October 13th–15th at the Victorian Space Science and Education Centre (VSSEC). Around fifty delegates attended as well as speakers from all around Australia. The theme was “Establishing Base Camp: Science, Methods and Technologies to support the Human Exploration of Mars.”
Read a full conference report here.
Read a full conference report here.
Call for Volunteers
Monday, 22 January 2007
Over the summer months, the pace of work on the vehicle - slowed almost to a halt over the last three months - has picked up again. The main thing holding up construction was and still is lack of workers, paid or voluntary. The project manager, Graham Mann, has been trying to find new workers in both categories. Recently three new people have committed to work on the project, and it is hoped they can help move forward on the steel frame construction and engine refurbishment. A second holdup has been a lack of construction drawings which the fabricators can use in the factory. Although detailed plans for the whole machine exist, they are AutoCAD files on computer and have needed realisation as practical construction drawings with notes for the factory workers.
Recently MSA engineer David Willson has been producing such drawings, which have already greatly aided construction on the front cabin assembly (see photo below, right). Meanwhile work on other, less visible parts of...
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