The Queensland Earth Observation (EO) Hub, a partnership between the Queensland Government and SmartSat Cooperative Research Centre (CRC), was launched on the weekend with the announcement of two new earth observation research projects.
The establishment of the EO Hub aims to accelerate the growth of Queensland’s, and Australia’s, Earth observation industry by supporting commercialisation of research, and EO product and service development. The Queensland Government and SmartSat CRC are investing $1.5million each in its delivery.
“We have lift off with the Earth Observation Hub launching in Queensland, creating more jobs and ensuring Queenslanders are at the forefront of the space industry,” Queensland Deputy Premier and Minister for State Development Steven Miles said.
“The two new projects are both about keeping Queenslanders safe, with one of them combining satellites, local networks and edge computing to demonstrate how we could monitor remote geohazards such as flood water levels or landslides in real time, the other will use satellite and drone imagery and analytics to monitor Queensland’s extensive coasts for hazards and conditions."
The two successful Queensland based projects represent a near $900,000 investment from the Queensland EO Hub and industry. The grant program is designed to foster the creation and commercialisation of space-related research and innovation in Queensland.
SmartSat CRC CEO Professor Andy Koronios says satellite systems are an integral part of Australia’s space industry, with applications for use across a wide variety of sectors.
"We’re very excited to launch our Queensland Node, the Earth Observation Hub, with two ground-breaking space technology projects. We are hugely appreciative of the opportunity we have, thanks to the Queensland Government and our industry partners, to progress them. Only by bringing together the best of Australian research with industry can we realise the growth opportunity of the space sector.
"Projects such as these plant the seeds of space technology innovation and will be instrumental in helping Australia build a viable space sector.
"With the Queensland EO Hub we’ll be able to bring world-leading research in space conducted by our partners into the National Space Industry Hub," Professor Koronios said.
In addition to the two projects, the EO Hub aims to generate opportunities for data analytics businesses and researchers, as well as downstream industries and upstream service providers of Earth observation imagery. It is supported by Queensland’s Department of State Development, Earth Observation Australia Inc., The University of Queensland, the Australian Space Agency, and Geoscience Australia.
The QLD Government and SmartSat CRC have invested AU$1.5 million each to deliver the Queensland Earth Observation Hub. (Supplied)
