...on present indications it would appear that Australia is likely to become the only country in the world to have twice achieved but then surrendered a space-faring capability.Read the whole sad and sorry story starting at page 29 of the Report to the Committee of Space Research (pdf file)
FedSat is the first satellite built in Australia since WRESAT and Oscar V in the late 1960s. It is carrying out a research mission in space science and communications, and is also testing new concepts in space computing, satellite navigation and orbit determination. FedSat, at around 58 kg, is one of the most complex spacecraft of its size, and the project received a 2003 National Engineering Excellence Award from the professional organisation Engineers Australia.The performance of Fedsat so far has been at least as good as could reasonably have been expected. It was designed to have a 100% capability(worst-case) of 1-year, with useful work being done for 3 years, and some residual capability for perhaps another two after that. From it's current status, after over 18 months in orbit and still at 100% capability, it may well last quite a bit longer.
The spacecraft is the first microsatellite operating in the Ka-band and the first to demonstrate self-healing computers in orbit.
Since the Research Centre is being wound up on December 31, 2005, Fedsat will still be gathering useful scientific data, but there'll be no-one listening. *SIGH*
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Anonymous commenters - please add a signature (doesn't have to be your real name) on each post of yours. Anne O'Namus, Norm D. Ploom, Angry from Kent, Demosthenes, or even your real initials, it doesn't matter.
Commenters are expected to be polite to each other, but the same standard doesn't apply to comments regarding me.
Australian commenters are very very strongly advised to publish anonymously. Sydney alone has more defamation actions than the entire USA and UK. Nearly double that of the UK in fact.
As Google does not reliably inform me that a comment has been posted, and I have no control over first publication, I assert that all comments are innocently disseminated under the NSW DEFAMATION ACT 2005 - SECT 32 and similar acts.