The International Space Centre at UWA develops WA's space research capacity, creates new education opportunities, enables engagement with industry and government, and inspires the general public through space.

We have established ISC as a new institute that unifies knowledge transfer, technology development, impactful research and education in the space sector.

Through the ISC, UWA is harnessing our world-leading space research capability to build partnerships that will contribute to the ongoing growth of Australia’s space industry.

Exploring space has become an integral part of Australia’s economy and a symbol of human innovation.

We have established the ISC as a new centre that unifies and focusses our expertise in engagement, education and research.

Ken and Julie Michael Building

Research

Engage and collaborate with our leading researchers in Space partnerships

We partner stakeholders to create nationally and internally recognised programs of both commercial and educational nature.

Our specialist capabilities align with the Australian Space Agency priority areas, including:

  • Communication technologies and services We partner with agencies such as the ESA, NASA, and JAXA, in communications specialties such as radio-to-lasers, security and quantum communications;
  • Space situational awarenss and debris monitoring Our strengths lie in the Space Situational Awareness fields of research, civil SSA and defence tracking;
  • Earth Observation Sea and land management from space;
  • Exploration and operations in remote hostile environments UWA is a foundation partner of the Australian Remote Operations for Space and Earth (AROSE);
  • SmartSat CRC;
  • Data analytics of Space platform data (Big data, rapid or AI-based);
  • Habitation including health, sustenance, energy and wellbeing;
  • Positioning, navigation and timing Our flagship projects lie in optical laser and quantum communications.

Education

Planning a career in space? We offer many study and outreach options for a range of levels and audiences.

Explore our website to learn about relevant university courses, graduate research opportunities, internships and student clubs to further your career in space.

We offer training and micro credential options for industry requirements. Our offerings range from short half-day training units to bespoke fully catered UWA-hosted programs over multiple days. The content offered in these programs leverages on the broad cutting-edge expertise in space relevant areas at UWA.

UWA currently offers a range of undergraduate and graduate units in space related areas, including:

Engagement

Providing inspirational opportunities within the community, and encouraging innovation to improve the lives of Australians.

Are you a teacher, journalist, public event manager, space fanatic or a parent of one? Get in touch to discuss options to organise customised outreach activities for your organisation.

Our inaugural 2022 Space Boot Camp is a great example of community engagement with the International Space Centre. 60 lucky high school students have the chance to attend a two-day workshop meeting and working with experts in the Space industry, including ex-NASA frontier space researchers – right here at UWA. Excited students will learn about designing lunar habitats, robots on the ISS, humans and plants in space, and the answers to questoins such as ‘Who owns the moon?,’ and ‘Can we mine asteroids?’

Space Boot Camp Mission Patch
Space Boot Camp Mission Patch
"The creation of the ISC was motivated by the growing national and international interest and investment in a space-enabled economy, combined with UWA’s broad expertise in space technologies and research. I am confident that ISC will strengthen its position as an innovative and emerging university- based space centre that, through collaboration with similar national centres, will be a major voice in Australia’s planning for space." Professor Peter Quinn, Chairman of the Board of the International Space Centre.