National Indigenous Space Academy takes off on Kaurna Yerta

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander university students will have the opportunity to reach for the stars with a new internship program supported by the Australian Space Agency (ASA) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

Launched at Lot Fourteen on Kaurna Yerta in mid-March as part of the NASA Administrator’s visit to Australia, the National Indigenous Space Academy (NISA) will see up to five students studying in STEM fields travel to NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (NASA JPL) in California for a 10-week, fulltime summer internship program.

“This internship program offers First Nations STEM students a fantastic opportunity,” said Minister for Indigenous Australians Linda Burney.

“Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians have so much to offer the world of science and technology and I hope the students who take part in this program are inspired. I look forward to seeing the National Indigenous Space Academy help develop future space leaders.”

The selected undergraduate or postgraduate students will attend a “space bootcamp” prior to their departure which will focus on aerodynamics, robotics, astrophysics, planetary science, engineering, computer and earth sciences, alongside part and current space exploration missions they will be exposed to at NASA JPL.

Each student will be partnered with a mentor from NASA JPL’s science or engineering programs who will plan projects for the students to complete, whilst also contributing to NASA JPL missions.

“The Australian Space Agency proudly celebrates Indigenous Australians as the world’s oldest astronomers, but they are also critical to our present and future as we look to do space in a uniquely Australian way,” said Australian Space Agency head Enrico Palermo, leading the first program of its kind.

The program will create a pathway for Indigenous students to participate in NASA JPL projects like robotics, robot perception control, path planning and Artificial Intelligence.

NISA is being delivered by Monash University, but will be open to eligible Indigenous students from all Australian universities.