Space research centre renamed after Australian astronaut
The Andy Thomas Centre for Space Resources is the new title for the 成人大片 centre spearheading how to optimise the sustainable use of off-Earth resources.
Dr Andy Thomas, the first Australian to fly in space as a professional NASA astronaut, and 成人大片 alumnus, is the Centre鈥檚 patron.
鈥淚 am honoured to be associated with this globally unique education and research facility which seeks to address the challenges faced by long-term planetary exploration, while ensuring the near-term application of solutions here on Earth,鈥 said Dr Thomas.
鈥淪ustainable use of resources in space is critical to the future of space travel.鈥Dr Andy Thomas
鈥淛ourneys into deep space will only be viable if we find ways to identify, assess and model resources on planets and near-Earth objects and extract these resources and process them in a responsible, e铿cient and sustainable way.
鈥淎stronauts of the future will need to generate and store energy and fuels, grow food, maintain equipment and ensure safe and reliable operations on other worlds.
鈥淔or life to prosper on new worlds, space resources will need to be made into new essential products.
鈥淪ustainable use of resources in space is critical to the future of space travel.鈥
The renaming will be announced today, Wednesday 25 November, at the Tenth Australian Space Forum held virtually. Dr Thomas will speak via a听听about the Centre and its vision for the sustainable use of resources in space.
The听听connects the 成人大片鈥檚 specialist capabilities in arti铿乧ial intelligence, autonomous systems, mining engineering, and advanced materials and manufacturing to global e铿赌orts in o铿赌-world exploration and habitation.
鈥淪uccessful long-term space exploration requires a fundamental rethinking of the technologies, processes and infrastructure required to ensure continued and sustainable access to the energy, fuels and resources necessary for o铿赌-world operations,鈥 said Associate Professor John Culton, Director of the Andy Thomas Centre for Space Resources.
鈥淭he Andy Thomas Centre for Space Resources combines additional specialist capabilities from across the University to address the end-to-end value chain for sustainable o铿赌-world resource utilisation including energy and fuel, health and medicine, and food production.
鈥淎ddressing the challenges for sustainable planetary resource exploration also provides opportunities for developing new technologies that can underpin long term, sustainable, resource exploration and processing in remote locations here on Earth.鈥
The In-Situ Resource Utilisation (ISRU) concept, pioneered by NASA, addresses the reliance on Earth-based materials for long term space exploration by proposing an o铿赌-world, self-contained resource chain covering the exploration, extraction and utilisation of the resources required for sustained space operations.
鈥淭his concept leads the way for the construction of habitation modules, industrial facilities, laboratories and transportation solutions utilising o铿赌-planet resources and materials,鈥 said Associate Professor Culton.
鈥淪uccess in ISRU operations will be fundamental to successful long-term habitation of other planetary bodies such as the Moon and Mars.鈥
Enquiries to:
Associate Professor John Culton,听Director, Andy Thomas Centre for Space Resources, The 成人大片. Mobile: +61 (0)466 859 195, Email:听john.culton@adelaide.edu.au
Crispin Savage, Senior听Communications and Media Officer, The 成人大片.听Mobile: +61 (0)481 912 465, Email:听crispin.savage@adelaide.edu.au
"Space Research Centre Renamed after Australian Astronaut" by Crispin Savage, was first published on the Adelaide Newsroom website on Nov 25, 2020.
In the media:
, The National Tribune, 25 Nov 2020.