Australian Defence to Support NASA Dawn Space Project

LATEST AUSTRALIAN BUSINESS NEWS

A team of four personnel from the United States Air Force will visit Tennant Creek in the Northern Territory of Australia to monitor the launch of the National Aeronautical and Space Administration’s (NASA) Dawn spacecraft.

The US team will arrive at Alice Springs and travel to Tennant Creek where they will establish a small temporary ground station. Tennant Creek was selected as it affords the best view of the crucial booster separation phase of the launch.

As part of the same mission a United States Air Force NKC-135 aircraft will be operating out of Perth International Airport from mid September and flying over north-west Australia. The launch from Cape Canaveral is planned for between 19 September and 15 October depending on weather and atmospheric conditions. The Australian Defence Force will be providing local liaison support and assisting NASA with its organisational arrangements while the team is in Australia supporting the Dawn spacecraft launch.

This mission will attempt to answer questions about the formation of our Solar System. Data returned from the Dawn spacecraft could provide opportunities for significant breakthroughs in our knowledge of how the solar system formed.

Over the last decade Defence has supported five similar NASA missions as part of Australia’s ongoing cooperation with NASA.

For information on this article, or on any other aspect of the Australian economy or business opportunities available, please email me.

David

david.taylor@agarcarlyon.com