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17 JANUARY 2020
The National Committee for Space and Radio Science is managing the development of the next strategic plan for space science, ‘Australia’s Future in Space: a strategic plan for space science’. This will be informed by the activities of 11 working groups and extensive community consultation. Details are available at science.org.au/space, including the opportunity to contribute to consultation.
Are you active in a field related to space science? We are seeking input from those studying, employed in or otherwise contributing to the Australian space science community via the survey below.
This survey will close on 16 March 2020. Information provided is confidential and will not be used to identify individual respondents. Survey results will contribute to a demographic study as part of the strategic plan for Australian space science, and the data derived from this survey may be reproduced in the final document. The survey comprises a small number of multiple choice and open-ended questions and should take about 10 minutes to complete. Your response is greatly appreciated.
NASA is one of the key US funding agencies for space science. The 2020 fiscal year NASA budget of $21 billion includes substantial funding for the Lunar Gateway, for supporting commercial delivery of science and technology payloads to LEO and the Moon, and for use of cubesats and small satellites for Earth science and space weather science applications. However, the STEM engagement program will be terminated. More information
Two space weather bills have been introduced to both the US Senate and House of Representatives with bipartisan support.
The Promoting Research and Observations of Space Weather to Improve the Forecasting of Tomorrow (PROSWIFT) Act was approved by the House Committee on Science, Space and Technology and aims to ‘strengthen space weather research by directing federal agencies to develop new tools and technologies to improve forecasting and set benchmark standards to measure space weather disturbances and their potential impacts to Earth. The bill will require the first ever space weather user survey … and incorporate [user] needs into an Integrated Strategy across the federal government to address space weather research and observational needs.’
An earlier companion bill, the Space Weather Research and Forecasting Act, was introduced to and passed the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation.
Following an initial round of public consultations, the Australian Research Council (ARC), Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), New Zealand Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) and Stats NZ have now published the ANZSRC Review Consultation Draft. The proposed changes to both the Fields of Research (FoR) and Socio-Economic Objectives (SEO) classifications are now available for comment until 10 February 2020.
See the consultation draft and details on how to make a submission.
The ANZSRC Review Consultation Draft proposes significant changes to both the Fields of Research (FoR) and Socio-Economic Objectives (SEO) classifications based on initial consultations. In particular, it is proposed that the present code 0201 Astronomical Science and Space Sciences is split, becoming 0201 Astronomical Sciences, and 0210 Space Sciences, with relevant 6-digit groupings in each. This follows submissions to an earlier round of consultations from the space science community which highlighted the need to better differentiate, identify and report on space science related R&D activities.
We are delighted to announce the establishment of the International Heliophysics Data Environment Alliance (IHDEA).
Research analysis and modelling efforts to understand heliophysical phenomena and space weather events, and to develop and validate tools for space weather forecasts, rely on the availability, accessibility and usability of diverse (space-based and ground-based) heliophysics and space weather data products. In recognition of the importance of international coordination and collaboration in making the diverse observation and simulation data resources available for supporting heliophysics and space weather research, a series of meetings were held with representatives from NASA, ESA, CNES, JAXA (ISAS), and Nagoya University-ISEE. One major outcome of those meetings is the formation of the IHDEA to guide the development of an open heliophysics data environment.
See information about the IHDEA, including reviewing the Charter and Bylaws documents, becoming an active member with voting rights, and subscribing to news.
Nominations for the 2020 SCOSTEP Awards for Distinguished Scientist, Distinguished Young Scientist and Distinguished Service are now open. In recognition of the importance of studies in the field of solar-terrestrial physics the SCOSTEP Bureau is looking to give credit to the scientists that have contributed to the field.
Applications for nominations are to be submitted to the SCOSTEP Secretariat (Patricia.Doherty@bc.edu) by 29 February 2020.
See more information on the three awards and the nomination process.
Individuals wishing to be nominated by the Academy, as national adhering organisation for Australia, should submit completed copies of their application to icsu@science.org.au by 17 February 2020 for endorsement.
Elections for the new Executive of the Scientific Committee on Solar-Terrestrial Physics (SCOSTEP) took place during the IUGG assembly in Montreal, Canada on 13 July 2019. The SCOSTEP Bureau is comprised of the Executive together with representatives of participating organisations.
Dr Kazuo Shiokawa, of Nagoya University in Japan, was elected President. Professor Daniel March, of the National Center for Atmospheric Research (USA) and the University of Leeds (UK) was elected Vice President. Dr Nat Gopalswamy, who served SCOSTEP as President since 2011, will continue to serve as Past-President. Patricia Doherty, of Boston College, was appointed as the Scientific Secretary on 1 July 2019.
More about the newly appointed SCOSTEP Executive
New Officers have been announced for SCOSTEP’s PRESTO Program for the 2020-2024 term. The Chair, Co-chair, and Pillar Co-leaders of the SCOSTEP's new program PRESTO (Predictability of variable solar-terrestrial coupling) have been announced.
Find out the details of the PRESTO program. More information on the PRESTO officer announcement will be made public in coming issues of SCOSTEP’s newsletter.
The International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics (IUGG) is governed by a Council (comprising a delegate from each member country) and Executive Committee headed by the President. Professor Chris Rizos from UNSW is the President elect (next president) of IUGG—a very prestigious position. Note also that the President of IAPSO (International Association for the Physical Sciences of the Oceans), one of the eight Associations of IUGG, is Professor Trevor McDougall AC FAA FRS of UNSW, and Dr Andrew Mackintosh of Monash University is a Vice-President of the IACS (International Association of Cryospheric Sciences).
COSPAR (the Committee on Space Research) is the principal international organisation representing space science. Australia is represented in COSPAR by the National Committee for Space and Radio Science, Professor Michael Ireland from the Australian National University, and Professor Iver Cairns of the University of Sydney who chairs the Finance Committee.
The Institute for Space–Earth Environmental Research (ISEE), Nagoya University, Japan, has announced two opportunities for the 2020 fiscal year:
International Joint Research Program: To support foreign researchers to visit and collaborate in joint research with ISEE researchers
ISEE International Workshop: To support the organisation of small international workshops on topics related to Space–Earth environmental research.
More information on these ISEE opportunities
New deadline: 28 February 2020
The deadline for submitting papers to the JASTP special issue of VarSITI2019 and STP-14 has been extended to 28 February 2020. More information on the special issue
For submission, please visit the submission page. Log in with EVISE account, choose Start New Submission. During the submission process, the author will be asked to choose an Article Type. Choose VSI: VarSITI2019 and STP-14.
Deadline: **extended to Tuesday 18 February **
The Australian Government in the 2019–20 Federal Budget announced the $19.5 million Space Infrastructure Fund (SIF). This investment has been made to contribute to the growth of Australia’s space sector. The SIF targets seven infrastructure projects for common-user platforms that industry cannot alone provide.
Two of these projects are now open for grant applications:
Deadline: 2 February 2020
This exciting international partnership programme is looking for project ideas that make use of data collected by satellites to improve decision-making for disaster risk reduction, ocean monitoring, mangrove mapping and maritime management.
More information on this opportunity
Apply for funding
Registration is free
COSPAR 2020 is the world’s largest space science conference, to be held at Sydney International Convention Centre.
The next URSI General Assembly and Scientific Symposium (URSI GASS 2020) will be held in Rome from 29 August to 5 September 2020.
More information on URSI GASS 2020
Submission of papers closes 31 January 2020. Please note the URSI GASS 2020 includes the possibility to submit Extended Abstracts, Summary Papers (select the option to include the paper in IEEEXplore or not) and Student Paper Competition Full Papers.
More information about the submission of papers
The Hvar Astrophysical Colloquium (HAC) is held every two years in Hvar, Croatia. The event brings together researchers from Europe and beyond who are devoted to instrumentation, fundamental as well as applied research in the field of solar and heliospheric physics, space weather and space climate.
The event will hold Scientific Sessions on the following topics:
Abstract submission will open in January 2020.
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