QLD’s Defence Research to Boom
As previously mentioned in our December 2021/January 2022 Recap, QDSA recently attended the opening of the brand new purpose-built DSTG Hypersonics Research Precinct at Eagle Farm, Brisbane.
The centre is a significant development for Defence research in Australia and provides a plethora of exciting opportunities for increasing sovereign capability and growth.
QDSA Acting Director Jeremy Anderson said “the Hypersonics Research Precinct is a critical enabler of fundamental research to understand hypersonic flight in Australia.”
What is Hypersonic Technology?
Hypersonic technology facilitates travel at speeds that occur beyond Mach 5. This is five times the speed of sound. The speed of hypersonic flight brings with it a unique set of difficulties caused by changes to the surrounding atmospheric gases, heat and friction and shock waves. Challenges such as these must be overcome in order for this technology to be feasible.
State-of-the-art Hypersonics Facility Dedicated to Defence Research
According to the Department of Defence, the new precinct will advance the understanding and use of hypersonic technology. At a cost of $14m to develop, the new precinct is a location for Defence, industry, universities and international partners to collaborate.
QDSA’s own member universities, University of Queensland, and University of Southern Queensland have several programs focusing on the hypersonics and we will continue to look for opportunities to collaborate at the new Hypersonics Research Precinct.
Supported by Minister for Defence and Defence Chief Scientist
At the official opening of DSTG’s Hypersonics Research Precinct on 25 January 2022, Defence Minister Peter Dutton noted that the availability of such a venue will “enable Defence researchers to develop and characterise sovereign hypersonic technologies and generate ‘true’ hypersonic flight conditions at large scale in a classified laboratory.”
Chief Defence Scientist Professor Tanya Monro said “The technology developed here says the government will give Australia the ability to strike back should anything similar ever be used against us.”
A Bright Future for Hypersonics in Australia
DSTG has a long history of researching and developing hypersonic technology. With access to a world-class facility such as the one now located at Eagle Farm in Brisbane, the future looks bright for Defence research in Australia.
More information about the official opening of the Australian Hypersonics Research Precinct can be found here.
Further Reading
Learn more about the importance of hypersonics research by visiting the following web resources:
https://www.australiandefence.com.au/defence/joint/australia-looks-to-hypersonic-technology
QDSA Upcoming Events and Opportunities
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The Queensland Defence Science Alliance (QDSA) is a university-led initiative to grow and connect an agile Defence innovation ecosystem, leveraging Queensland’s strengths, to deliver trusted solutions to meet Defence requirements.
