Dr Christian Kudisonga (left) and Dr Michael Heitzmann, who is a director of UQ's Centre for Advanced Materials Processing and Manufacturing.
(Photo credit: The University of Queensland )
The University of Queensland's advanced engineering expertise will assist a Queensland Government-funded consortium to develop a mobile launch capability for high-speed flight research, development and testing in the state.
Queensland Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie has announced the project, to be led by Lockheed Martin's Advanced Systems & Technologies, and including Airways Trade Australia and Rocket Technologies International.
The space sector currently generates more than $810 million in direct revenue and supports more than 2000 jobs in Queensland, and the Government's Space Strategy aims to increase that to more than $3.5 billion and 6,000 jobs within a decade.
The University's involvement follows more than 2 decades of pioneering hypersonics research and acknowledges UQ's national leadership in high temperature materials and manufacturing process development .
UQ aerospace engineer Professor Vincent Wheatley said the low-cost, flexible mobile test range would allow for high-speed flight up to hypersonic speeds, which commences at Mach 5, allowing industry, government, partners and researchers to test and mature their technologies.
Professor Vincent Wheatley, co-director of UQ's Hypersonics Centre.
(Photo credit: The University of Queensland)
"Test flights are critical for high-speed technology development as many of the difficult physical phenomena encountered and their incredibly complex interactions cannot be fully predicted by digital modelling or ground testing alone," Professor Wheatley said.
"We can simulate a lot successfully, but some phenomena and their interactions remain a challenge that requires validation in flight to prove the technology works.
"This is the kind of enduring infrastructure that will help the high-speed aerospace industry to grow through more frequent and affordable design and validation testing."
UQ advanced materials scientist Dr Michael Heitzmann said UQ was one of the few places globally that can bring together hypersonics, advanced materials, manufacturing, flight-testing, and systems integration.
"The state's proximity to the equator offers launch efficiency advantages comparable to those of Florida's Cape Canaveral, particularly for missions to low-inclination orbits," Dr Heitzmann said.
"Another key advantage is the opportunity to launch over land where the experimental payloads can be recovered and studied to maximize the benefit of each test."
UQ will work closely with the project partners to support the delivery of the launch capability.
Collaboration and acknowledgements
The Queensland Government has provided $6.38 million to the project through the Sovereign Industry Development Fund.
