Australian Satellite Successfully Sends First Selfies Back to Earth in Historic Achievement

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Australia’s space industry has reached a new milestone with the country’s first home-grown space telescope completing the first part of its initial mission after 600 days in space.

Since its launch aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from California in December 2023, SpIRIT has circled the Earth more than 9000 times – travelling a distance comparable to a round trip between Earth and Mars – and has been in orbit for over 600 days.

Principal investigator and University of Melbourne Professor Michele Trenti said SpIRIT’s successful commissioning period was a true milestone for Australian technological advancements and space capabilities.

The first image taken by the SpIRIT selfie camera, acquired over New Zealand at the end of the thermal radiator deployment sequence. The camera captures the underside of SpIRIT satellite, where mission participant logos are printed. (University of Melbourne)

“SpIRIT is a complex satellite designed and built in Australia, with many components flying for the first time and hosting a scientific instrument contributed by the Italian Space Agency,” Trenti said.

“Now that SpIRIT has completed rigorous testing in space, we are confident it’s ready to commence the next phase of its mission, which is truly exciting.”

The first phase of the mission involved SpIRIT testing its flight capabilities and Australian space technology, culminating in its first-ever selfies sent back to Earth.

SpIRIT’s radiators after deployment, flying high over the Indian Ocean. The “Eagle”, a copper structure on the right radiator can be seen, which is designed to help dissipate heat from SpIRIT’s thermal management system. (University of Melbourne)

The image, beamed back to Earth, showed the nanosatellite crested in emblems of partners who made its mission possible.

SpIRIT’s unique wings, designed by the University of Melbourne, help keep the space telescope cool and increase performance. The satellite measures almost a metre in size.

That “next phase” will see SpIRIT move on from testing flight capabilities and Australian space technology, to using its Italian-made scanner to search for cosmic explosions called gamma ray bursts.

SpIRIT flying over Australia, looking towards the Gulf of Carpentaria and Cape York Peninsula, 42 days after deployment of the selfie camera. (University of Melbourne)

The bursts are created when stars collide or die, and are unpredictable and difficult to spot.

SpIRIT, which is expected to remain in orbit for more than 1000 days in total, will act as an early warning system to alert astronomers to gamma ray bursts.

Australian Space Agency head Enrico Palermo welcomed the milestone and transition to the next phase of the mission.

“The SpIRIT mission has demonstrated the capability that exists within the Australian space sector – from building the satellite and testing new technologies in orbit and on ground, to hosting international science payloads and successfully completing its initial phase,” Palermo said.

“I commend the team, and our colleagues at the Italian Space Agency, on their persistent long-duration operations in space. SpIRIT is a great example of the mutual benefit that comes from collaborating in space.”