SmartSat Cooperative Research Centre (SmartSat CRC) has launched a $7 million project to develop new autonomous spacecraft using artificial intelligence (AI). The three-year project, Spacecraft Autonomy and Onboard AI for Next Generation Space Systems, SCARLET-α, will bring together eight SmartSat partners. These partners include Airbus, Asension, Deakin University, Defence Science and Technology Group, Leonardo Australia, Saab Australia, Swinburne University of Technology, and University of South Australia in a collaborative research effort. SCARLET-α aims to create a set of autonomous algorithms that will enable small and distributed spacecraft to make decisions independently. Furthermore, it will optimize available resources and capabilities, adapt to changing conditions, and handle critical situations, without intervention from Earth.
