This collaboration marks a significant milestone in international space education cooperation and represents the first expansion of the National Indigenous Space Academy (NISA) programme beyond NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
Partnership agreement signed
The ceremonial signing took place on 2 October 2025 at the 76th International Astronautical Congress in Sydney, Australia.
Representatives from key institutions witnessed this pivotal moment in UK-Australia space collaboration, including:
- Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC)
- Australian Space Agency
- UK Space Agency
Cutting-edge space science projects
This partnership enables Indigenous Australian university students to participate in 10-week education programmes at STFC’s RAL Space facility in Oxfordshire.
Students will work on cutting-edge space science projects, including pioneering quantum technology research and collaboration with RAL Space’s camera electronics team.
The team have supplied camera systems for major missions including NASA’s Polarimeter to Unify the Corona and Heliosphere and Solar TErrestrial RElations Observatory spacecraft.
First students already making their mark
Students from the 2025 NISA cohort, Chloe Radoll and Mitchell Cooper at RAL Space. Credit: STFC RAL Space
Two students from the 2025 NISA cohort, Chloe Radoll and Mitchell Cooper, have already begun their placements at RAL Space in September 2025.
Chloe, an Anaiwan woman from Tamworth, is studying engineering at the University of Technology Sydney.
Mitchell, a Boandik man from Sydney, is enrolled in the University of Sydney’s Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology.
A flagship collaboration
Their participation represents the beginning of what organisers hope will become a flagship collaboration under the UK-Australia Space Bridge Framework Arrangement.
The partnership builds on the existing collaboration between NISA and NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, where six additional students from the 2025 cohort are currently undertaking placements.
This expansion demonstrates the programme’s success and growing international recognition.
Strengthening the UK-Australia space bridge
The collaboration aligns with the UK-Australia Space Bridge Framework Arrangement, signed in 2021, which aims to increase connection, exchange and investment across both space sectors.
The STFC-Monash University partnership represents a key moment in establishing meaningful cooperation under this framework, demonstrating both countries’ commitment to:
- expanding opportunities in space science education
- fostering international cooperation in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields
Providing space education opportunities
Since launching in 2023, NISA has provided space education opportunities for Indigenous Australian STEM students, with support from:
- Australian Space Agency
- Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation
- Andy Thomas Foundation
The programme’s success is evidenced by its recent receipt of almost half a million dollars in continued funding from the Australian Space Agency to operate until at least 2027.
Voices from the partnership
Dr Hugh Mortimer, Associate Director of the National Laboratories at STFC, highlighted the significance of the collaboration:
We’re delighted to welcome Chloe and Mitchell to RAL Space as part of this growing partnership with Monash and the Australian Space Agency.
NISA is a fantastic example of how international collaboration can be used to support underrepresented groups in STEM and open meaningful opportunities in the global space sector.
It’s been a privilege to host these two talented students and see them already making contributions to our work and we look forward to expanding the programme in future years.
Enriching the next generation
NISA Lead and Associate Dean (Indigenous) at Monash’s Faculty of Information Technology, Noongar Whadjuk/Ballardong man Professor Christopher Lawrence, welcomed the new collaboration.
Professor Lawrence, said:
It is only fitting that NISA expands into the UK given our long-shared history.
This agreement will deliver long-term benefits for First Nations students, our communities, and all Australians.
What the NISA students learn at RAL Space they will bring back home to enrich our research and inspire the next generation.
This is just the beginning of what promises to be an exciting journey!
Unlocking new possibilities
Professor Anu Ojha, International Director at the UK Space Agency, emphasised the broader impact:
The National Indigenous Space Academy is an outstanding programme, and we are delighted that students will gain hands-on experience at RAL Space.
This is exactly the kind of opportunity we want the UK-Australia Space Bridge to enable, actively partnering to further develop the skillsets of a next generation workforce and showing how collaboration across borders can unlock new possibilities.
Together, we can create a truly global space community where talent from all backgrounds thrive.
