Our Capabilities
Space Domain Awareness (SDA)
Our approach to SDA provides cost effective, comprehensive, persistent surveillance of the space environment over the entire Australian continent. Our technology can detect, characterise and maintain custody of thousands of Resident Space Objects (RSOs) at once, across an unprecedented volume of space.
Antenna Design and Characterisation
CIRA engineers continue to support the design and modelling of SKA-Low antenna performance. These capabilities are applied in the design and simulation of antenna performance in Low SWaP-C equipment – that is, instrumentation that is low size, weight, power and cost – commonly used in the Space and Defence industries.
Our expertise in antenna design is also applied in designing and building phased array sensor systems for space domain awareness and satellite communications.
Planetary Defence
Our optical space situational awareness capability supports planetary defence through the observation and tracking of objects originating in space – from meteorites to space debris. Supported by technology that originated from the Desert Fireball Network, we work with the Space and Civil Defence industries to triangulate optical events in and beyond our atmosphere.
Electromagnetic Compatibility
Radio telescopes are sensitive to the faintest of signals that have been travelling across the Universe for billions of years.
CIRA engineers and technicians are experienced in designing electronics that are radio frequency shielded – meaning that the level of electromagnetic (EM) energy emitted by the electronics does not exceed applicable EM interference (EMI) limits. This capability is critical to operating radio telescopes like the MWA and the SKA.
Radio Frequency Communications
CIRA maintains high-specification RF labs, including a suite of modern equipment for characterisation and test of instrumentation, including an Agilent PNA-X vector network analyser and a customised Focus Microwaves iCCMT-101 impedance tuner designed to operate to <100 MHz. This facility also includes a small screened room that provides the radio quiet environment necessary to exploit the full capabilities of the test equipment.
High Performance Computing for Advanced Signal Processing
Our researchers develop and utilise use case, environment, and instrument-informed advanced signal-processing techniques to extract extremely faint signals from ‘noisy’ data.
Directed Energy
Modern electronic components and circuits in computers, communication equipment, electronic warfare and vehicle (air, sea, land, space) systems are susceptible to electromagnetic radiation. We work with Defence to better understand Directed Energy effects on electronic devices. Our research will contribute to the development of electronics that are resistant to Directed Energy Weapons in the form of high-power microwave (HPM) / high-power radio frequency (HPRF).
CIRA operates a flexible and efficient HPRF/HPM test facility to demonstrate testing methodologies for Directed Energy effectiveness and protection.
Field Engineering and Remote Operations
At CIRA, our Engineering and Operations team have a working knowledge of radio telescope field engineering requirements, including extreme and remote operating conditions, work breakdown structure, and typical training needs.
Through the operation and construction of the MWA telescope, and various SKA-Low precursor instruments, CIRA Engineers have demonstrated their expertise in designing instrumentation that can operate in the most harsh and unforgiving environments and temperatures.
We engage local industry to support our remote operations, creating opportunities for regional industry.