Internal view of FedSat during construction in Canberra during 2002 (Photograph courtesy of CRCSS).

FedSat launch on the Japanese H2A-4, December 14 2002 (Photograph courtesy of JAXA).

FedSat during separation from the launch vehicle, December 14 2002 (Photograph courtesy of JAXA).

Last month Defence took over management of Australia's only fully owned and operational satellite FedSat. Defence will manage the satellite until December 2008 extending FedSat's useful life to the scientific community by three years.

FedSat was launched in 2002 and is a small low earth orbit satellite that follows a near polar sun-synchronous orbit. It carries six payloads performing a variety of scientific and engineering research functions. Data it has gathered in the past three years will help scientists predict the effect of the solar radiation on the Earth.

Former Defence Minister, Senator Hill said space systems have an ever-increasing benefit for Australia, including precision navigation, global communications and weather information.

'FedSat provides Defence with an opportunity to broaden its knowledge of spacecraft control and space experimentation,' Senator Hill said.

'Defence will use FedSat for a range of research and experimental activities. This could include radio propagation studies and magnetospheric observations supporting space weather science.'

Defence's management of FedSat will cost approximately $1 million over the next two years.

FedSat is an initiative of the Cooperative Research Centre for Satellite Systems (CRCSS). Through the Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO), Defence has been a stakeholder in FedSat since its inception. CRCSS is a joint venture of four Australian companies, six universities and two Government agencies.