Space Connect Podcast

Dec 23 2024 132 ep. 31 mins 7
Space Connect Podcast artwork

The Space Connect Podcast tells the stories of the people and businesses that are shaping the development of Australia’s space industry. Join Space Connect Podcast host Adam Thorn as he uncovers the talent driving this emerging sector – and how you can play your part in this booming industry.

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Behind Australia’s first lunar rover

Dec 23 2024 19 mins  
This week, ELO2 Consortium beat out rival AROSE to win the right to create Australia’s upcoming lunar rover. The rover is designed to collect regolith, or moon soil, that will eventually be turned into oxygen to support a permanent NASA base. It’s arguably the biggest and most exciting project Australia’s space sector has ever been involved with, and will work in tandem with

Space Centre Australia discusses its upcoming spaceport

Dec 12 2024 24 mins  
Space Centre Australia plans to build a spaceport in far north Queensland that it hopes will become like an international airport for launch vehicles. However, unlike its local rivals, it believes it can one day host larger rockets manufactured by companies such as SpaceX. In this episode, SCA’s founder and CEO, James Palmer, joins host Adam Thorn to talk about the latest develo

What if the moon landing had gone wrong?

Nov 14 2024 31 mins  
In 1999, an archived speech was discovered that had been written for US President Richard Nixon 30 years before in case a disaster on the Apollo 11 mission left the astronauts with no hope of recovery. Thankfully, that speech never had to be given – but what if it had? What if some key component on the lunar lander had failed, stranding Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin on the moon,

Scott Morrison on Australia’s big opportunity in space

Oct 30 2024 33 mins  
In October, Scott Morrison was surprisingly unveiled as the new chairman of Space Centre Australia, the planned spaceport in Far North Queensland. The move has the potential to hugely disrupt Australia’'s launch sector, which already has four spaceports scattered around the country. Now, a few weeks later, the former prime minister joins Robert Dougherty in our studio in North

Welcoming Earth’s new mini moon

Oct 03 2024 25 mins  
From 29 September to 25 November, Earth will have a new temporary ‘mini moon’. Named 2024 PT5, the object is actually an asteroid from the Arjuna asteroid group that will be captured by Earth’s gravity for 57 days. It’s so small and faint that it won’t be visible to the eye or even with small telescopes, but it will be visible to larger telescopes. Astrophysicist Dr Laura

Using the Milky Way as a navigation tool

Sep 19 2024 13 mins  
In 2013, Swedish researchers discovered that beetles used the Milky Way to navigate at night, realising its fixed point in the sky could help them roll dung balls in a straight line. Now, a decade later, researchers at the University of South Australia (UniSA) are using that breakthrough as inspiration for a new project aimed at improving navigation for satellites. They have develo

Behind the plan to make ‘Fitbit for astronauts’

Sep 10 2024 25 mins  
The iLAuNCH trailblazer is a partnership between academic institutions and more than 20 industry partners that aims to accelerate the development of the space manufacturing sector. This week, we’re joined by Dr Joni Sytsma, the chief technology officer overseeing iLAuNCH at the University of Southern Queensland. Sytsma trained at the University of Florida over 20 years ago and h

How to make better meals for astronauts

Jul 25 2024 18 mins  
A recent study by RMIT has suggested that the isolated environment of the International Space Station, rather than just a lack of gravity, is behind reports from astronauts that food tastes blander in space. It’s an important development because if we’re going to send humans to Mars and beyond, we’ll have to consider their diet and psychology. On this episode, Dr Julia Low,

Preparing space technology for high vacuum

Jul 16 2024 16 mins  
As commercial space missions increase, it is important to be able to simulate space conditions to ensure equipment is up to the task. Components need to withstand not only a high vacuum but also extreme temperatures, high radiation, and other harsh conditions not found on Earth. Ezzi Vision has supplied scientific vacuum and thin film technology to sectors, including the space indu

LeoLabs talks upgrading the West Australian Space Radar

Jun 27 2024 22 mins  
Last year, LeoLabs Australia opened its pioneering West Australian Space Radar (WASR) near Collie in the southwest. When it began operating, the site could already track tens of thousands of satellites in low-Earth orbit, but it has since been upgraded to improve its coverage further. In this episode, the company’s president and managing director, Terry van Haren, talks about W