On Sunday morning, up at the The Australian National University Quantum Optical Ground Station, the press gathered to listen to Australian of the year and astronaut Katherine Bennell-Pegg, ANU Professor Francis Bennet and CSIRO’s Kevin Ferguson, director of The Canberra Deep Space Communication Complex (CDSCC), announce how Australia will support NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Artemis II mission with Canberra-based communications and tracking systems, helping astronauts orbit the Moon for the first time in more than 50 years.

NASA will fly an optical (laser) communications system aboard the Orion spacecraft to test the technology’s operational utility to support human spaceflight operations. In support of the demonstration, the ANU Quantum Optical Ground Station (QOGS) at Mount Stromlo Observatory will track, transmit and receive communications from Orion. This unique opportunity will test optical ground station capabilities with the potential to support future lunar-based missions for NASA.

“ANU has been working with NASA teams to create a capability in the Southern Hemisphere to support the agency’s future optical communication needs,” said ANU Professor Francis Bennet, the Australian project lead for Artemis II.

“We have been able to build cutting-edge capability rapidly thanks to investments from the Australian Government, and the collaboration with NASA and the work its teams have done to develop low-cost and reconfigurable optical communications systems.”

ANU Institute for Space | InSpace’s Associate Director of Strategic Projects Kate Ferguson added, “Building this capability in the Southern Hemisphere is critical to establishing reliable communication to the moon and the Solar System,”

“This demonstration will showcase the University’s research expertise in optical ground stations and optical communication capabilities. This mission is the culmination of years of capability development in optical communications at ANU and validates that ANU and Australia are ready to support future space exploration and commercial missions.”

The 10-day Artemis II test flight is scheduled for no earlier than Thursday 2 April Canberra time. Through Artemis, NASA will send astronauts to explore the moon for scientific discovery, economic benefits and to build the foundation for the first crewed missions to Mars.

For ANU Institute for Space | InSpace this has been a long journey and we are proud of the work our teams have done to realise this technology. Thanks to all involved and the ANU Institute for Space | InSpace board:
Sue Barrell AO FTSE, Kiaran Kirk AM FAHMS, Kate Lundy, 
Ray Mahoney, Tim Senden, Helen Sullivan

Photos: thanks to Kate Ferguson