SpaceShip Australis to study sun’s effect on solar system

The SpaceShip Australis project proposed by Australian space scientists would study the effects of the sun’s variability from the surface of the Earth to the boundaries of the solar system.

Advancing the world’s understanding of such space weather is a major focus of the 'Decadal Plan for Australian Space Science - Building a National Presence in Space'.

“Space science impacts our lives every minute of every day in areas such as communication, navigation and weather prediction. It also is a driving force behind technological advancement. Improvements in our understanding of space are of immense benefit to Australia and the world,” says Professor Peter Hall, Vice President of the Australian Academy of Science.

SpaceShip Australis is a ground-based network to measure, model and predict space weather and would support the proposed square kilometre array of radio telescopes.

Changes in space weather can have extensive impacts such as increasing radiation exposure to aeroplane travellers; affecting GPS and navigation systems; causing serious damage to power grids and satellites; and disrupting communications.

The Decadal Plan for Australian Space Science was developed by the Australian Academy of Science’s National Committee for Space Science after four years of extensive consultation within Australia’s space science community.