The Safety from Space initiative, pioneered by a collaboration including UniSA and Flinders University, has been described as a “lunar 911” because it can locate astronauts who get lost while exploring the moon’s surface.
Dr Mark Rice, an adjunct researcher and founder of Safety from Space, said the technology could operate in even in the most challenging terrain, such as craters or mountains.
“Our team has also developed a waveform that supports low-power emergency beacons, ensuring that communication remains possible with minimal infrastructure and energy consumption,” he said.
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“This innovation is a critical advancement for space exploration. As humans venture further into space, the ability to quickly locate and rescue individuals in distress is vital.
“By creating a robust search and rescue system for the moon, this research sets the foundation for similar systems on other planets, potentially revolutionising how we approach human safety in space exploration.”
Now researchers hope the same technology, called Beagle, could be used on Earth when people become lost in remote and hazardous locations.
It comes after Space Connect reported how the South Australian government’s Space Collaboration and Innovation Fund granted the project $100,000.
If successful, the SA government said a trial could lead to a contribution to NASA’s Artemis program alongside emergency communication applications on Earth.
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“Our collaboration with NASA has put Australia at the forefront of two-way communications for search and rescue, and we are extremely grateful for the funding from the South Australian government to make it possible,” Rice said.
Aside from the two universities, Safety from Space is also being backed by the Australian arm of The Mars Society and SmartSat CRC.
The second project to receive $100,000 from SA was AICRAFT’s “Leoflect”, which aims to create a lighter and smaller synthetic aperture radar (SAR) payload, a type of radar used to create detailed images of the Earth’s surface.
“It will use advanced AI models to deliver power-efficient, high-speed data processing and analysis on orbit – a solution that is years ahead of existing technologies,” the SA government said.
“A partnership with India’s Guerin Technologies, the project will significantly enhance available SAR satellite capabilities.”
Stephen Mullighan, SA’s treasurer, said the grants would help accelerate the development of advanced technologies and strengthen international partnerships.
“AICRAFT’s collaboration with Guerin Technologies and Safety from Space’s collaboration with NASA are prime examples of how our state is leading in space innovation and will have a significant impact on global space technology,” he said.
“South Australia is home to a long list of innovative projects that are driving economic benefits for our state and reinforce our position as a leader in the defence and space sectors.”
Adam Thorn
Adam is a journalist who has worked for more than 40 prestigious media brands in the UK and Australia. Since 2005, his varied career has included stints as a reporter, copy editor, feature writer and editor for publications as diverse as Fleet Street newspaper The Sunday Times, fashion bible Jones, media and marketing website Mumbrella as well as lifestyle magazines such as GQ, Woman’s Weekly, Men’s Health and Loaded. He joined Momentum Media in early 2020 and currently writes for Australian Aviation and World of Aviation.
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