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Dr David Maddison presents the 2 0 2 3 Australian International Airshow (in Avalon) South Australia” at https://youtu.be/ tAFZuq9Wtpw Australian Department of Defence Space Command The Australian International Airshow is usually held every two years at Avalon Airport near Geelong, Victoria, about an hour’s drive from Melbourne. It is considered one of the world’s top airshows and showcases amazing new technology, detailed in this article. This year they even had a flying car! i generally attend each Avalon Airshow, although the last one was cancelled due to COVID-19. I covered previous Airshows in the May 2013, May 2015 & May 2019 issues (siliconchip. au/Series/399). This article will not go back over anything I previously described; I will only list what was new this year. The Australian space program suffered a huge setback after Australia was one of the first countries to launch a satellite in 1967, WRESAT (see our October 2017 issue; siliconchip.au/ Article/10822). An ignorant politician decided there was no future for an Australian space program (well, he made sure of that!). It was one of the worst decisions made in Australia. Still, judging from 20 Silicon Chip what we saw at the Airshow, the Australian space program is now back! Let us approach them alphabetically since there are so many topics to cover. AtSpace AtSpace (https://atspace.com.au/) was founded in 2021 in Adelaide. They have developed the Kestrel I and Kestrel V launch vehicles (Fig.1) with payload capacities and maximum altitudes of 150kg/350km and 350-390kg/700km, respectively. The Kestrel V payload is 350kg for a Sun-synchronous orbit (SSO) or 390kg for a low Earth orbit (LEO). Kestrel I has a maximum take-off weight of 3036kg, while the V has a maximum take-off weight of 35,000kg. See the video titled “AtSpace in Australia's electronics magazine Like the USA and a few other countries (Brazil, Canada, Germany, Israel, Japan, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Thailand, Turkey and the UK), Australia now has a Space Command (www. airforce.gov.au/about-us/defencespace-command), established on the 18th of January, 2022. It has members of the Navy, Army, Air Force, the Australian Public Service and industry under an integrated headquarters housed by the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). Its roles (roughly) are to develop and advocate for space-specific priorities across government, industry and allies; train people as space specialists; conduct strategic space planning and determine priorities; ensure the design, construction and operation of Defence space capabilities are following Defence standards and limitations. Defence Space Command’s mission is to “Prepare space power to secure Australia’s interests in peace and war.” It also exists “To assure Australian civil and military access in space, integrated across Government, and in concert with allies, international partners and industry.” The space command facilities are: • Space Surveillance Telescope, Exmouth (Fig.2) was originally at the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico, USA from 2011. However, in 2017, it was dismantled and brought to Exmouth, WA, to the Harold E. Holt Naval Communication Station, a joint Australian/US military facility. siliconchip.com.au Fig.1 (left): the Australian-developed Kestrel launch vehicle. Source: https://atspace.com.au/dedicated-launch Fig.2 (above): the Space Surveillance Telescope at Exmouth, WA. Source: https://w.wiki/6Suc (CC BY-SA 4.0) It is part of both the Space Command and the US Space Surveillance Network. It enables the tracking of space objects and the determination of any threats they may pose. It is remotely operated by RAAF, 1 Remote Sensor Unit at Edinburgh, SA. The telescope has a 3.5m mirror (see Fig.3). • The C-band Radar, Exmouth (see Fig.4) was moved to the Harold E. Holt Naval Communication Station in 2014. It operates at 4-8GHz and is used to identify and track space objects, among other functions. It is owned by the USA but is now operated remotely by RAAF, 1 Remote Sensor Unit at Edinburgh, SA. One of its missions was to track the Buccaneer Satellite, a 3U CubeSat (34 × 10 × 10cm, 4kg), launched on the 18th of November 2017 as a joint venture of the University of New South Wales (UNSW) and the then Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO). Buccaneer’s purpose was to provide calibration data for the Jindalee Overthe-Horizon Radar Network (JORN). It is also part of the US Space Surveillance Network and is operated cooperatively with the USAF 21st Operations Group, 21st Space Wing. This radar started as part of a NASA tracking station in Carnarvon, WA in 1963. After that station closed in 1974, it was moved to Florida in the USA as a test radar, then to Antigua in the Caribbean to support Eastern Range launches from Cape Canaveral. It was returned to Australia in 2014. • The Satellite Ground Station – West (Fig.5), at Kojarena, provides a ground link to satellite constellations such as the Wideband Global SATCOM (WGS), visible from Western Australia, Fig.3: a computer rendering of the 3.5m mirror used by the Space Surveillance Telescope. Source: https://w.wiki/6Sud the Indian Ocean for the Australian Defence Force (ADF) and our allies. It operates in conjunction with Satellite Ground Station – East for satellites visible from eastern Australia, located in Kapooka Military Area near Wagga Wagga, NSW. The WGS is operated by the US Department of Defense Space Force system, operated jointly with Australia and Canada. • Koonibba Test Range, Koonibba and Whalers Way Orbital Launch Complex, Eyre Peninsula (see the section on Southern Launch below). • Satellite Ground Stations for R&D at Edinburgh, SA. This DSTG (Defence Science and Technology Group) facility performs R&D to improve Defence satellite communications, such as developing the Cortex system. Fig.5 (left): Satellite Ground Station – West, Google Earth image. Source: https://adbr.com.au/wa-satcomground-station-declared-operational/ Fig.4: the C-band radar at Exmouth. Source: www.afspc.af.mil/News/ Article-Display/Article/1457949/cband-holt-radar-one-year-on/ siliconchip.com.au Fig.6 (right): Mission Control, the Responsive Space Operations Centre (RSOC) run by Saber Astronautics. Source: Saber Astronautics siliconchip.au/ link/abkw Australia's electronics magazine May 2023  21 Fig.7: Silentium Defence Oculus Observatory, MidMurray Region, SA. Source: www.industry.gov.au/news/ world-class-observatory-track-space-objects This system “combines communications planning information with live spectrum monitoring and equipment control in a form tailored to the workflow requirements of Defence satellite network operators” and provides “detection of anomalies across Defence’s satellite network”. • The Australian Geospatial Intelligence Organisation (AGO) Ground Station, Edinburgh, SA, requests and receives commercial satellite imagery for use by Defence and the intelligence community. It has ground stations at Edinburgh, Woomera (SA) and Tindal (NT). • Australian Space Agency Mission Control, Adelaide (“Lot 14”) – Fig.6 – is run by Saber Astronautics for the commercial space sector and offers the control of satellites and space traffic services for the regions. Saber refers to it as Responsive Space Operations Centre (RSOC). • Silentium Defence Oculus Observatory, Mid-Murray Region, SA – Fig.7 – is a passive radar observatory that uses pre-existing television and radio signals to detect and track low Earth orbit objects. The Oculus observatory uses Silentium’s MAVERICK S system, a world-first commercial-scale Space Situational Awareness (SSA) passive radar. The observatory also has an Astrosite neuromorphic imaging sensor from Western Sydney University that emulates the human eye to detect objects visually. The observatory uses northern hemisphere data from the Swedish Space Corporation to complement tracking. • No.1 Space Surveillance Unit (1SSU), RAAF Edinburgh, is Australia’s first Joint Space Unit and will contribute to “advanced space situational awareness, allowing the 22 Silicon Chip Fig.8: the BlueRoom augmented-reality simulator for medical training. tracking of space assets and debris”. • SATCOM Satellite Operations, HMAS Harman, near Canberra, plays a key role in communications across the Australian Defence Force. Satellite communications for the ADF and allies are managed over various commercial and military satellites, including Optus-C1, Intelsat-22, Inmarsat and WGS satellites (mentioned earlier). • Headquarters Joint Operations Command (HQJOC), Bungendore NSW, is responsible for command and control of Australian Defence Force operations worldwide and is also the headquarters of the Australian Space Operations Centre (AUSSpOC). • Royal Australian Navy Deployable SATCOM can operate from various vessels. • Army Portable SATCOM – the Australian Army has portable ground stations for satcom. • C-130J Hercules Airborne SATCOM – RAAF Hercules are equipped for satcom. • Gilmour Bowen Launch Site is located at Abbot Point State Development Area in Queensland and is suitable for launches to the east over the ocean. The first launch is expected this year. • Arnhem Space Centre, East Arnhem, is a site in the Northern Territory suitable for all types of launches. It was used by NASA to launch sub-­orbital sounding rockets in 2022. Defence Space Command invited visitors to download the following documents: • Australia’s Defence Space Strategy: siliconchip.au/link/abkr • Space Power eManual: siliconchip.au/link/abks Australian Space Agency The Australian Space Agency (www. industry.gov.au/australian-­s paceagency) was established on the 1st of July 2018 to coordinate civil space matters across government entities and support the growth and transformation of Australia’s space industry. BlueRoom simulator Australian company Real Response (www.realresponse.com.au) demonstrated their BlueRoom “mixed reality” simulator (see Fig.8) for training Army, Navy and Air Force medics, among others. Students can enter a virtual-reality environment while still using their hands to interact with ‘patients’ and equipment. A trainer can create any situation they want, or change the patient’s condition, and students can interact by inserting an IV drip into a trainee dummy, for example. Boeing MQ-28A Ghost Bat We mentioned the Boeing MQ-28A Ghost Bat in the 2019 Airshow article. Still, this artificial intelligence (AI) based unmanned aerial vehicle remains under development by Boeing Fig.9: the Boeing MQ-28A Ghost Bat drone can fly independently or as a ‘wingman’. Source: Boeing siliconchip.au/ link/abkx Australia's electronics magazine siliconchip.com.au Fig.10: a Capella Space SAR image of a flooded area close to the Hawkesbury River near Windsor, NSW, taken on 24/03/2021 at 1:24 pm UTC (24 minutes past midnight local time). The centre coordinates are 33.594746S 150.817394E. Australia (www.boeing.com/defense/ MQ-28/) for use by the RAAF (Fig.9). It will either fly alone or as part of a formation to support and protect aircraft such as the RAAF’s F-35A, F/A18F, E-7A and KC-30A. It is 11.7m long and has a range of more than 2000nmi (nautical miles). The US Air Force is also interested in this drone. Capella Space Persistent Radar Capella Space (www.capellaspace. com) has a constellation of satellites that use Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) to provide all-weather, day-andnight imaging of the Earth for purposes such as military planning, energy and natural resources, infrastructure monitoring, humanitarian and disaster relief, insurance and risk assessment, maritime domain awareness and commodities management. The company provides customers with tasking software so they can decide what images to take, where and when. Capella has a gallery of images you can peruse at www.capellaspace. com/gallery/ Imagery is taken on X-band frequencies (8-12GHz, bandwidth Fig.11: a computer rendering of the Capella SAR satellite. Source: www.capellaspace.com/capella-space-unveilsnext-generation-satellite-with-enhanced-imagerycapabilities-and-communication-features/ 500-700MHz) and has 0.214m resolution at slant angles, 0.31m for normal angles, with low noise and high contrast – see Figs.10 & 11. Each satellite uses a 3.5m mesh antenna and inter-satellite optical links. Currently, seven 112kg satellites are in orbit, plus one prototype; ultimately, 30 are planned. Radio astronomers have expressed concerns about radio emissions from these satellites. Corvo Precision Payload Delivery System (PPDS) An Australian company, SYPAQ (www.sypaq.com.au), produces disposable drones for around $1,000 each (although some sources reckon they’re closer to $5000). They are intended for use as delivery systems for humanitarian or other supplies. The drone is called the Corvo Precision Payload Delivery System (PPDS) – see Fig.12 – and its mission is the “delivery of supplies and equipment into areas traditional logistics capabilities cannot reach.” They are made from waxed cardboard, use a battery to power a propeller, and are guided by GPS. They are delivered as a flat-pack that needs to be assembled. Once assembled, they can autonomously fly up to 120km and land softly to deliver supplies. The payload capacity is either 3kg or 5kg, depending on the model. Australia is sending many of these to a certain conflict zone right now. They can be adapted for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions. Still, according to a report from an ambassador quoted on radio 3AW (siliconchip.au/link/ abkd), they are being used with lethal payloads. CubePilot CubePilot (www.cubepilot.com) is an Australian company that produces professional-grade autopilots for autonomous unmanned vehicles (see Fig.13). Multiple vehicle types are supported, such as fixed-wing, multicopters, VTOL aircraft, submarines, rovers and boats. Curtin University and Nova Systems Researchers at the International Fig.12 (left): the Corvo cardboard disposable drone on a catapult, ready for launch. Source: https:// corvounmanned. com.au/ Fig.13 (right): the CubePilot autopilot can be used to control a variety of airborne and waterborne platforms. siliconchip.com.au Australia's electronics magazine May 2023  23 Fig.14: a Nova Systems passive array sensor for tracking objects in low Earth orbit, one of 2400 planned. Source: ICRAR Curtin siliconchip.au/link/abky Centre for Radio Astronomy Research (ICRAR) at Curtin University have developed a passive sensor for Space Domain Awareness (SDA). Its purpose is to track space debris or satellites in low earth orbit to warn of potential collisions (see Fig.14). The system uses signals from commercial FM radio stations that reflect off objects in space. It can also monitor space weather. ICRAR has partnered with Nova Systems for this project; see siliconchip. au/link/abke A prototype is being established at Nova Systems’ Space Precinct in South Australia’s mid-north; it is an adaptation of the Curtin University-led Murchison Widefield Array (MWA), a low-frequency radio telescope. Initially, 512 antennas will be installed, with an eventual 2400 planned. Droneshield The Australian company Droneshield (www.droneshield.com) offers a range of C-UAS (Counter-Unmanned Fig.15: the DroneGun Tactical is designed to take down threatening drones by jamming RF control or satellite navigation signals. It’s one of the products offered by Droneshield. Aircraft System) products to detect and disable hostile aerial vehicles that are radio-­controlled (on ISM bands) or guided by GNSS (satellite navigation such as GPS). Detection may be by optical, radar or RF means. Their products come in various forms, such as a handheld ‘gun’ (Fig.15) or a fixed ‘sentry’ (see Fig.16) unit to protect a designated area. Disruption ranges depend on the device and start at 1km for the Dronegun MKIII. Detection ranges are up to 4km for the Repatrol MKII (lower in a high RF environment). Such devices severely interfere with the radio spectrum on the ISM and GNSS bands, so government authorisation is required to use them. Elbit Land Systems Among many products they make, Israeli company Elbit makes the Iron Fist APS (Active Protection System) which will be used on Australian Redback Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV), if it is selected (see below). When a Silicon Chip F-35A Lightning II fighter jet The RAAF is acquiring 72 F-35A aircraft with “full operational capability” expected by the end of 2023. They are currently operating about 60 F-35As. By the end of 2022, 23,000 flight hours had been logged, compared with all allies’ total global flight hours of 610,000. A recent “Red Flag” exercise in the USA demonstrated a ‘kill ratio’ of 20:1 against simulated enemy aircraft. See the video titled “Air Force F-35 interoperability with US – Exercise Red Flag Alaska” at https://youtu. be/lLibFSkATH8 Gannet Glide Drone The Gannet Glide Drone (Fig.17) from Australian company Skyborne Technologies (www.skybornetech. Fig.17: an unpowered Gannet Glide Drone, launched from other aircraft. Source: www. skybornetech. com/news/ gannet-gliderprogramconductssuccessfulflighttests/2022 Fig.16: DroneSentry provides autonomous detection of drones via optical, radar and RF (top section) means. The optional DroneCannon (bottom section) is then used to defeat hostile drones. 24 threat is detected and about to strike the vehicle, an explosive interceptor is launched against it. See the video titled “Elbit Systems / Iron Fist APS” at https://youtu.be/e4_kFEw33s4 Australia's electronics magazine siliconchip.com.au Fig.18: com) is a “new class of low-cost, Skyborne’s swarming air-launched effects for a Cerberus swathe of operational scenarios”. Once GLH released, it can travel 2.4km if dropped Unmanned from an altitude of 1000ft (~300m) or Aerial 1.3km if dropped from 650ft (~200m). Vehicle It is silent and stealthy. carrying It can be dropped as a swarm and a 40mm can carry electronic payloads such grenade as electronic warfare, communicalauncher. tions or explosive payloads such as shaped charges to penetrate armour. The glide velocity is 90-110km/h and the payload is up to 600g with a total mass of 1.9kg. It can use GNSS (global navigation satellite system) or MEMS (microelectromechanical system) based INS (inertial navigation system) if GNSS signals are jammed. Uniquely, it sweeps the wings to roll and turn. See the video titled “Gannet Glide Drone Press Release” at https://youtu. be/­fuvv6zPP49s Skyborne also produces a man-­ portable tactical UAV, the Cerberus GLH Unmanned Aerial Vehicle, which can carry weapons payloads such as Fig.19: the Honeywell Boeing 757 test aircraft at the Airshow. Note the third shotgun shells or 40mm grenades (see engine pod at the top of the fuselage, to the right of the word “IT”. No engine was mounted there at the time. Fig.18). Also see the videos titled “CHAOS Ground Firing Campaign” at https:// youtu.be/-jk9IpZJCgQ or “HAVOC 40mm Campaign 2” at https://youtu. be/PsZzCMhwnpE and the videos at www.skybornetech.com/uxv-weapons Honeywell I was invited for a ride on Honeywell’s legendary Boeing 757 test aircraft to see Honeywell’s latest aviation technology. It is the fifth 757 ever made, acquired by Honeywell in 2005 and “40 years young”, with a tail number of N757HW. This aircraft is renowned in the industry and externally is unusual in that it has a pod on the fuselage to mount a third turbofan or turboprop engine for testing purposes – see Fig.19. On-board data acquisition equipment can record over 1,000 channels of engine test data. Inside, the aircraft has only a small number of seats but also has engineers’ workstations, equipment bays and empty areas to mount other test equipment if necessary (see Fig.20). It would be wasteful to test just one thing on a flight, so a typical test flight might involve testing a weather radar, an engine and a satellite communications system, all at the same time. siliconchip.com.au Fig.20: one of the workstations on the Honeywell 757 aircraft used to monitor tests during flight. Test flights can last as long as the fuel capacity allows and can go anywhere in the world. The aircraft is quite lightweight because it lacks passenger seats, inner linings and other passenger comforts such as multiple toilets (there is only one), meaning it is 6803-9071kg lighter than it otherwise would be, giving it a longer range and better performance. For the demonstration flight, we flew from Avalon Airport to the coast of Tasmania. This was to demonstrate high data rate “Resilient Beyond Visual Line of Sight Communications” (BVLOS) Australia's electronics magazine through Honeywell and Inmarsat’s SATCOM systems and software. The systems and software they demonstrated include JetWave MCX, HSD 400, Aspire 400 and the GoDirect Router, among others. These technologies allow communication from civilian or military aircraft anywhere in the world. As an example of the advantages, a recent RAAF disaster relief flight to a Pacific nation was diverted mid-flight to take still and video footage of the disaster which could immediately be uploaded via satellite and conveyed to Canberra for damage assessment and May 2023  25 decision-making. This avoided the expense of sending a second aircraft, which would have had to fly back to Australia to deliver the footage. JetWave MCX is a Ka-band (26.540GHz) SATCOM terminal product optimised for military communications and is now certified on the WGS satellite network (described earlier). Apart from WGS, Jetwave MCX allows connectivity via Inmarsat’s Global Xpress (GX) general-use network and High-Capacity Cross Strap (HCX) military Ka beams and other Ka-band networks. GX provides uplink speeds from the aircraft of 3Mbps and downlink speeds to the aircraft of 37Mbps. HCX military provides 100Mbps+ return speeds. Honeywell’s HSD-400 is a voice and high-speed data transceiver for the Inmarsat satellite network. It provides for Inmarsat SBB (SwiftBroadband) on L Band (1-2GHz) SATCOM and a Single Carrier Per Channel (SPCP) modem for L-Max capability. L-Max is an Inmarsat product that is between SwiftBroadband and Global Express in speed and on leased beams, operating on L Band. SBB provides speeds up to 1.7Mbps, while L-Max provides uplink and downlink speeds of 1.9Mbps. It is suitable for Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) Operations. The Aspire 350 is for cockpit satcom and uses Iridium Certus services on the Iridium NEXT constellation and provides 100% coverage of the Earth’s surface. It supports cockpit voice, Future Air Navigation System (FANS), Air Traffic Control (ATC), Aircraft Communication Addressing and Reporting System (ACARS), Aeronautical operational control (AOC) and Electronic Flight Bag (EFB). A data rate of 700kbps is supported, optionally increased to 1.4Mbps. The Aspire 400 uses SwiftBroadband, supports ACARS, AOC and EFB and has data rates of 2×432kbps with worldwide coverage between the poles. Significant weight reductions are achieved, and the need for HF comms is reduced or eliminated. The above equipment also requires appropriate antennas mounted on top of the fuselage. The GoDirect Router is a router that also holds Honeywell’s enterprise management and console software, allowing passengers to send and receive emails, participate in video conferences and surf the web. For more information, see the video titled “A Look At Honeywell’s Bizarre Boeing 757 Flight Test Aircraft” at https://youtu.be/ZjTPtBplz3U IAI early-warning radar Israel Aircraft Industries (www.iai. co.il) presented their ELM-2090UUltra early warning UHF radar family (Fig.21). It is transportable and designed to autonomously detect and simultaneously track dozens of ballistic missiles, satellites and airborne targets at very long ranges, including targets with low radar cross-section. It also provides launch location and point of impact estimates. The design is modular, so additional radar modules can be added as required. See the video titled “ELTAELM-2090U - ULTRA Early Warning UHF Digital Radar Family” at https:// youtu.be/xho-E5IM0MU Iron Beam and Lite Beam Israeli defence contractor Rafael presented Iron Beam and Lite Beam; see Fig.22 and www.rafael.co.il/worlds/ land/iron-beam/ Fig.22: Iron Beam’s steerable laser beam head, used to shoot down hostile drones and munitions. Source: www. rafael.co.il/worlds/land/iron-beam/ Iron Beam is a 100kW laser defensive weapon that is still under development and is expected to become operational within a year or two. It is designed to shoot down a wide range of threats, such as mortar shells, rockets, RAMs (rolling airframe missiles) and UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles) or similar devices. It would be deployed as part of a multi-tiered defensive array, with Iron Beam intended for close interceptions, from a few hundred metres to several kilometres. Lite Beam, as the name implies, is a lower-powered 7.5kW version of Iron Beam, suitable for C-mUAVs (counter micro unmanned aerial vehicles), destroying weaponised balloons, improvised explosive devices or unexploded ordnance or similar at ranges of a few hundred metres to two kilometres. Lite Beam is at a “proven prototype” stage of development. Like Iron Beam, it forms an element of a multi-tiered defensive array. Rafael will also supply its Spike missile for use on the new Australian IFV, the Redback (if Redback is chosen – see below). You can refer to the video titled “Rafael’s Spike ATGM family – the Technological Answer to Superior Mass” at https://youtu.be/ dFbrzUfbFyw Kaman Kargo UAV Fig.21: an IAI ELM-2090U-Ultra early warning UHF radar that can warn of incoming rockets, artillery shells, drones and so on. 26 Silicon Chip Australia's electronics magazine Kaman makes Kargo UAVs (see Fig.23 & https://kaman.com/brands/ kaman-air-vehicles/kargo/) for transporting loads up to 363kg internally or externally. It can: • hover with a 215kg payload for 2.2 hours • hover with a 22.7kg payload for 4.7 hours siliconchip.com.au Fig.23 (above): the Kaman Kargo UAV can transport a 272kg payload 143nmi in 1.2 hours. Source: https://kaman.com/brands/ kaman-air-vehicles/kargo/ Fig.24 (right): the Australian Kite drone from Swoop Aero can take off and land vertically but flies like a traditional plane in the cruise portion of the flight – note the wings and two pusher propellers at the back, plus eight lift rotors on booms. • transport a 272kg payload 143nmi in 1.2 hours • transport a 136kg payload 326nmi in 2.7 hours • transport a 91kg payload 400nmi in 3.3 hours • travel 523 nautical miles with an external fuel tank in 4.3 hours The Kargo is powered by a 224kW gas turbine engine. For further information, see the video “KARGO UAV | Transforming Expeditionary Logistics” – https://youtu.be/datQouRo_fY Kite Kite is an Australian drone from Swoop Aero (see Fig.24) with vertical take-off & landing, and horizontal flight capability. It can operate in roles such as search & rescue, live video streaming, mapping and package delivery. It can carry a payload up to 250 × 205 × 125mm for 80km (6kg), 125km (4.6kg), 175km (3kg) or 225km (1kg). Its maximum take-off weight is 24.9kg, cruise speed is 122km/h and top speed is 200km/h. The company states that the system has been used to Fig.25: a Kite KM-120 electric motor, a roll of nanocrystalline core material, and a 9V battery for comparison. Source: https://kitemagnetics.com/ electric-motors/products siliconchip.com.au deliver 1.4 million items over 24,000 flights. It has been used extensively for humanitarian causes in Africa, where residents have been taught to use and maintain it. It is easy to maintain and can be recharged via a charger unit plugged into a generator. Kite Magnetics Kite Magnetics is a spin-off from Monash University (kitemagnetics. com/). In conjunction with the Monash Department of Materials Science and Engineering, they have developed highly efficient electric motors for small electric aircraft that utilise a nanocrystalline ferromagnetic soft magnetic alloy that reduces core losses in the motor. The alloy is branded Aeroperm. Kite has developed what they say is the world’s most powerful air-cooled electric aviation motor and the world’s first nanocrystalline, the KM-120, with a power output of 120kW (see Fig.25). room for them to be housed inside the aircraft, they must go on a wing or body mounted pod. Australian company Airspeed Composites (airspeed. com.au/) has developed a low-drag pod suitable for housing equipment at supersonic speeds – see Fig.26. It attaches to an airframe via standard general-purpose MS3314 suspension lugs. The pod is radio transparent to 18GHz and has conduction cooling and submerged “NACA” cooling ducts for the electronics rack. Windows can be installed for cameras. Monash High Powered Rocketry (HPR) HPR (www.monashhpr.com) is a student team that has developed Project Aether. The Aether rocket (Fig.27) competed in the 30,000ft commercial-­ off-the-shelf (COTS) solid propulsion category of the 2022 Spaceport America Cup and the 2020 Virtual Australian Universities Rocket Competition. Low Drag Electronics Pod Monash Nova Rover When developing sensors and other equipment for aircraft, if there isn’t The Nova Rover (www.novarover. space) is a student team from Monash Fig.26: a low-drag electronics pod containing a camera from Airspeed Composites. Source: https://airspeed. com.au/aerospace-2/ Fig.27: Monash’s HPR Aether rocket being launched. Source: www. monashhpr.com/rockets Australia's electronics magazine May 2023  27 Fig.28 (left): the Pegasus E flying car is being touted as a possible police vehicle. Fig.29: the two remaining finalists in the competition for a new Australian IFV, the Redback (left) and Lynx (right), to replace our ageing M113 APCs. Fig.30 (right): the Human Aerospace IVA Skinsuit, designed in conjunction with RMIT, is intended to prevent the deterioration of bones and muscles in space. It was tested on the International Space Station. University “designing, fabricating, and testing the next generation of Mars rovers right here in Melbourne – and inspiring future generations along the way”. See the video titled “Monash Nova Rover Team | 2022 University Rover Challenge SAR” at https://youtu. be/few9ZminRlg Pegasus Flying Car A practical flying car has long been a dream, but that might soon be a reality thanks to Melbourne-based, Australian-­owned company Pegasus (https://bepegasus.com/). Their product is described as the world’s only true flying car and it is designed to fit in a standard suburban garage or car space. No take-off area is required at your home because you would drive to a suitable take-off area. It uses an electric drive system on the road and an internal combustion engine and rotor blades for flight. It takes off and lands like a helicopter. For the Pegasus E (Fig.28), the electronically-limited road speed is 120km/h with a 70-75km range. The maximum flight speed is 160km/h, and the cruise speed is 130km/h with a range of 420km. In the event of a loss of engine power during flight, the Pegasus can auto-­ rotate to a safe landing. The vehicle’s dry weight is 265kg, and its payload is up to 101kg. The price is said to be comparable to a ‘supercar’. 28 Silicon Chip They are in the process of applying for VicRoads registration, and the Pegasus E has received an airworthiness certification as an experimental aircraft by CASA. A four-seat air taxi prototype will be released later this year. For more detail, see the videos titled “Pegasus, world’s first police flying car” at https://youtu.be/xbp0qkPQtjE and “Pegasus E flying car new flight! June 2022” at https://youtu.be/mwGz4-_QeQ Redback and Lynx LAND 400 is an Australian DoD program to replace our Army’s 1960s-era M113 armoured personnel carriers (APCs). Even though they have been upgraded in recent years to become M113AS4s, their armour is not protective against large improvised explosive devices and other modern threats, and they are regarded as obsolete. The LAND 400 project is a competitive process and has been reduced to two contenders, the Hanwha Defense Australia (parent South Korea) AS21 Redback and the Rheinmetall Defence Australia (parent Germany) Lynx KF41 – see Fig.29. These are infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs) rather than APCs, meaning they not only carry soldiers but can also fight alongside dismounted infantry. As a result, these new vehicles weigh considerably more than the M113AS4 APCs, which weigh 18t. The Redback Australia's electronics magazine weighs 42t and the Lynx 45t. Both carry three crew plus eight soldiers, less than the M113AS4, which carries two crew and about 10 soldiers. Saber Astronautics While not having a stand at the Airshow, Saber Astronautics (https:// saberastro.com/) is a company based in Australia and the USA that supplies Australian Defence and the Australian Space Agency. Defence Space Command uses Saber software, and they are involved in other aspects of the Australian space program. Sensorimotor Countermeasure Skinsuit The Human Aerospace IVA Skinsuit (www.humanaerospace.com.au; see Fig.30) was designed in conjunction with RMIT University and is for use by astronauts on orbital missions. It is designed to provide compression loading to parts of the body to simulate gravity, preventing the deterioration of bones and other parts of the body due to the lack of gravity. The Skinsuit has been tested on the International Space Station. Shotover If you’ve seen police car chase videos from overseas shown on TV, you might notice they have detailed street map overlays and other information on the video feed. That can be done siliconchip.com.au Fig.31: an example of a street map overlay over a car chase by the ARS-750, intended to aid police by showing what’s around a suspect during a ‘manhunt’. Source: https://shotover.com/products/ars by the ARS-750 Augmented Reality Solution from US firm Shotover – see Fig.31 (https://shotover.com/). downlink. It connects to the aircraft via standard NATO lugs. For civilian S&R, it can also be used with a Learjet 35. SiNAB Skykraft SiNAB (www.sinab.com) is an Australian company that has developed a JTAC training pod (see Fig.32) for use by the Air Force. JTAC stands for Joint Terminal Attack Controller, which Wikipedia writes is “a qualified service member who directs the action of military aircraft engaged in close air support and other offensive air operations from a forward position”. The pod contains various optical sensors and is called Phoenix (aka PJTS or Phoenix JTAC Training Solution). It enables the use of lower-cost training aircraft such as the Pilatus PC-9/A and Hawk-127 to emulate the air support capability of aircraft such as the F/A-18A/B for training purposes. Its optical sensors also make the system suitable for use in civilian search-and-rescue operations. The pod has a wireless cockpit interface and ground station for video On the 4th of January 2023, five Australian-made Skykraft satellites (see Fig.33) were launched into orbit, a total mass of 300kg, which the company says exceeds the “total mass of all Australian-built space objects ever launched”. Skykraft (www.skykraft.com.au) plans to launch 200 such satellites over the next two years, to provide a global air traffic management service with service in areas where there are now communications gaps, such as over the mid-ocean. Air traffic controllers will be able to track aircraft wherever they are and speak to pilots (see Fig.34). Current air traffic management systems only track aircraft within 400km of land. The satellites will track the aircraft’s ADS-B signal (Automatic Dependent Surveillance–Broadcast) and provide VHF voice and data Fig.32: the PJTS system attached to a Vietnam War-era Cessna O-2 Skymaster. It can be used for search and rescue missions or training. communications between air traffic controllers and aircraft. We published articles on ADS-B in the August 2013 issue – see siliconchip.au/Article/4204 SLM Solutions SLM Solutions (www.slm-solutions. com) presented their range of industrial 3D (additive manufacturing) laser printers to print complex metal shapes (see Fig.35). SNC Balloons have been in the news lately! Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC; www.sncorp.com) presented their Lighter-Than-Air High Altitude Platform Station (LTA-HAPS) at the Airshow; see Fig.36. This balloon system comprises a lift balloon (with helium or cheaper hydrogen), a ballast balloon with air to adjust buoyancy to change altitude, solar arrays and a gondola that contains avionics and other equipment. That includes payloads for electronic warfare, surveillance, communications, cyber intelligence (“data Fig.34 (left): an aircraft flying far out over the sea can communicate with landbased traffic controllers via a Skykraft satellite while also being tracked. Source: Skykraft Fig.33: an artist’s concept of Skykraft satellites in orbit. They intend to provide global coverage for air traffic controllers, tracking aircraft and communicating with them. Source: Skykraft siliconchip.com.au Fig.35 (right): a complicated metal shape made with an SLM 3D printer. Its internal structure is much like a bone, providing high rigidity with low weight. Australia's electronics magazine May 2023  29 Fig.36 (above): the SNC LTA-HAPS balloon. From top to bottom, the components are the lift balloon, ballast balloon, solar panels and gondola with payload. Fig.38: the BAE/Innovaero Strix UAS can conduct strikes against ground or sea targets and persistent intelligence, surveillance & reconnaissance (ISR). It can carry a payload of up to 160kg for 800km and folds for easy transport. Fig.37 (right): the SpIRIT 6U nanosatellite carries an advanced gamma and X-ray sensor plus the Neumann Space Thruster, a highefficiency electric thruster. that is collected, processed, and analysed to understand a threat actor’s motives, targets, and attack behaviors”) and AI, among others. It is designed for long-persistence ISR (intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance) missions of 60 days or more at up to 75,000ft (22.9km) altitude. It has a 50kg lift capacity and is difficult to detect. The balloon system uses polyethylene and latex in its construction and can be navigated by altering its altitude to merge with winds going in the desired direction. Southern Launch facilities Southern Launch offers two commercial rocket launch facilities in Australia (www.southernlaunch. space): the Koonibba Test Range and the Whalers Way Orbital Launch Complex (see Fig.40). The Koonibba Test Range offers over 10,000km2 of range area, up to 350km downrange and overland payload recovery. As the name implies, this is for test flights such as hypersonic vehicles. The Whalers Way Orbital Launch Complex is at the tip of the Eyre Peninsula in South Australia. It offers a launch facility for suborbital flights along Australia’s southern coastline (eg, to Albany, WA) or launches into Sun-synchronous or polar orbits. SpIRIT 6U nanosatellite The SpIRIT (Space Industry Responsive Intelligent Thermal) nanosatellite (https://spirit.research.unimelb.edu. au/) is an Australian-made spacecraft but an Italian-Australian cooperative project. The spacecraft is launched as a 6U CubeSat form factor nanosatellite, 30 × 20 × 10cm and weighing 11.5kg, which later unfolds – see Fig.37. Its primary science payload is for advanced gamma and X-ray remote sensing – the HERMES instrument, developed with funding by the Italian Space Agency and the European Commission H2020 framework. The Australian-made equipment includes: • The Neumann Space Thruster, a high-efficiency electric propulsion unit for applications in lunar orbit and beyond Earth • The University of Melbourne Thermal Management Integrated System (TheMIS) for precision temperature control of sensitive instrumentation • The University of Melbourne Mercury module for adaptive autonomous low-latency communications • The University of Melbourne Payload Management System, designed to facilitate integration and control of complex instrumentation in off-theshelf satellite platforms and to perform data processing Strix Uncrewed Aerial System BAE Systems Australia and Perthbased Innovaero are developing the futuristic-looking Strix Uncrewed Aerial System (www.baesystems.com/ en-aus/strix). The tandem-wing autonomous aircraft (see Fig.38) was launched at the Airshow. It is designed for various missions, including strikes against ground or sea targets and persistent Fig.40: preparing for a launch at Whalers Way Orbital Launch Complex. Source: www.southernlaunch.space/whalers-wayorbital-launch-complex Fig.41: the SX1-ISR, a solar-powered long-range UAV by XSun. It can cruise at 50-70km/h for up to nine hours with silicon solar cells or 12 hours with GaAs cells, with additional endurance provided by a battery. 30 Silicon Chip Australia's electronics magazine siliconchip.com.au Fig.39: the Swinburne hydrogen-powered drone. intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR). It can carry a payload of up to 160kg for 800km and folds for easy transport. of hydrogen propulsion in aviation – see Fig.39 & siliconchip.au/link/abkf SX1-ISR The SX1-ISR is a solar-powered long-range UAV by XSun (www.xsun. Supashock (https://supashock.com/ fr). It has dual wings with solar panen/) is an Australian company self-­ els, two propellers, and can cruise at described as “a world-class producer of 50-70km/h with a maximum speed of advanced mobility, advanced logistics 110km/h. Its endurance is up to nine handling systems and advanced auton- hours with silicon solar cells or 12 omous systems that control, moni- hours with GaAs cells, with additional tor and improve mobility of Defence, endurance provided by a battery. Autonomous, commercial, automotive It can carry a payload of up to 5kg, and other transport vehicles”. such as a gimballed thermal or visible One of the products they had on light camera. Live video can be transdisplay was a hydraulic damper for mitted up to 100km via line-of-sight on the proposed Lynx Infantry Fighting a 2.4GHz link frequency – see Fig.41. Vehicle for the Australian Army. See the video titled “Rheinmetall – Lynx RAAF bomb disposal robots KF41 IFV for Australia Unveiled” at The RAAF, No.65 Squadron, responhttps://youtu.be/n5p_lrNw-EY sible for explosive ordnance disposal etc, displayed some of their ordnance Swinburne University disposal equipment. That included The Swinburne University of Tech- two robots, the Dragon Runner 20 from nology has developed thermal spray Quinetiq (Fig.42 & siliconchip.au/link/ technology to put specialised sur- abkg) and the Talon Tactical Robot faces on various substrates such as (siliconchip.au/link/abkh). implants. They have also produced a hydrogen-­ Vertiia powered drone to test the feasibility AMSL Aero (www.vertiia.com) is Supashock Fig.42: the Dragon Runner 20 robot is used for defusing or detonating bombs. siliconchip.com.au an Australian company that has developed a long-range eVTOL aircraft called Vertiia (see Fig.43). According to the manufacturer, it is powered by hydrogen, has a range of 1000km, a speed of 300km/h with five seats or 500kg of cargo and operating costs 75% less than a helicopter. It will travel 250km on battery power alone. Other Universities More universities than those mentioned above were at the Airshow, offering aerospace courses, including: • Curtin University Space Science and Technology Centre (https://sstc. curtin.edu.au/). • Deakin University (www.deakin. edu.au). • Monash University (www. monash.edu). • RMIT University (siliconchip.au/ link/abku). • Swinburne University Space Technology Institute (siliconchip.au/ link/abkv). Editor’s note: the Airshow had other events on, such as a flare drop being performed by a RAAF C130, see www. SC jetphotos.com/photo/10900297 Fig.43: the Australian-developed Vertiia eVTOL aircraft can carry five people or 500kg of cargo and travels up to 1000km or 250km on batteries alone at up to 300km/h. Source: Vertiia – siliconchip.au/link/abkz Australia's electronics magazine May 2023  31