The ATNF welcomes Expressions of Interest (EoI) from Australian and international research institutes or from other organisations that see genuine potential in the purchase of time on one or more of the Australia Telescope National Facility’s (ATNF) radio-telescopes. Organisations purchasing time include the space industry, in support of missions throughout our Solar System and beyond, and research institutions with specific requirements for observing time.

This Call-For-EoI document describes the background, scope, and service offering from CSIRO, and provides contact details for questions, as well as instructions for submission of EoI responses.

Our radio telescopes are valuable for spacecraft tracking due to their large collecting area and advanced data acquisition systems. Operating as a ground station for space missions complements the astronomy research conducted with our telescopes. Offering limited time for purchase helps us maintain our world-class research instruments for research by providing an extra source of income.

Murriyang, our Parkes radio telescope, began supporting space missions in 1962, when it tracked the first interplanetary space mission, Mariner 2, as it flew by the planet Venus.

Scientific research remains the primary purpose of our instruments. Care is made to provide for both our researchers and industry partners to ensure great outcomes.

Find out more about our space situational awareness, asteroid tracking and space communication programs.

Recent news from purchased time

A large radio telescope looks out into a starry night sky

Murriyang supported one of the first commercial Moon landings

We helped businesses to literally reach for the Moon by providing ground station support for one of the first commercial lunar landings. CSIRO signed a new five-year agreement with Houston-based aerospace company Intuitive Machines to support multiple lunar missions, including their first flight under NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services initiative.

Murriyang, our Parkes radio telescope on Wiradjuri Country

Expert commentary on our support of Intuitive Machines’ first Moon mission

The US space company became the first commercial company to land on the Moon. Murriyang, CSIRO’s Parkes radio telescope, adds significant capability to Intuitive Machines’ Lunar Data Network. The network utilises multiple large ground station antennas, like Parkes, strategically located around the Earth to provide continuous communications with our spacecraft.