ASRI has been involved in the design, development and testing of small satellites since 1988. ASRI works with partner organisations to provide 'hands on' satellite engineering opportunities for ASRI members, students and aerospace industry professionals.

More recently, ASRI has focused on microsatellites. This presentation given to the Symposium on Microsatellite Applications for Asia and the Pacific, held in Canberra in May 2000, explains why ASRI sees microsatellite projects as ideal vehicles for education.

Contact the ASRI Satellite Program Manager for more information.

Past satellite projects include Australis, a 50 kg modular microsatellite. A brief history of ASRI's involvement with satellites will be posted here eventually.

The Joint Australian Engineering Satellite (JAESAT) is a microsatellite being designed and fabricated by ASRI in conjunction with the Queensland University of Technology (QUT) and the Cooperative Research Centre for Satellite Systems (CRCSS). ASRI is managing the project overall, QUT is performing most of the technical work through student research, and the CRCSS is providing some funding for the project and providing advice as required.

The JAESAT web-site and 'virtual project office', which contains all project management and engineering information, is here.

The Australian Lunar-Mars Investigation And Technical Evaluation (ALUMINATE) is a feasibility study being conducted at the University of Queensland under ASRI auspices. ALUMINATE will investigate the feasibility of a range of possible Lunar and Martian microsatellite missions and is an ambitious attempt to focus on assuring Australia's long-term role in the future development of space.

As an activity in the ASRI Satellite Program, ALUMINATE is considered to be both an active project in its own right and a follow-on activity to the (Earth-orbiting) JAESAT Microsatellite Project.

A summary of the ALUMINATE study outcomes and a link to the ALUMINATE Virtual Project Office (VPO), which contains all project management and engineering information, will be posted here shortly.

Although not an ASRI project, ASRI is providing ad-hoc advice and support to the BLUEsat Microsatellite Project being run at the University of New South Wales.