CSIRO’s 35-year partnership with Boeing has supported Australian research, development and innovation in the aviation industry and beyond.
The pair’s achievements include technologies like sustainable aviation fuel, aeroplane paint and space logistics.
Dr Ranya Simons is one of about 120 Australian scientists engaged on advanced aerospace technologies as part of the partnership.
She has been involved with CSIRO-Boeing projects for almost her entire career.
Her first project as a fresh graduate was a CSIRO-Boeing initiative to develop Paintbond, a method to improve the process of repainting a plane.
A plane’s top coat of paint protects it from the extreme environmental conditions in flight, and can wear down over time.
Repainting involved time-consuming sanding of the whole surface to get the new layer to stick. That was before Paintbond.
“It has actually reduced injuries and environmental hazards in the painting process, as well as clean up time,” said Simons.
“The end result is a cleaner, safer process. For me, that’s one of the exciting things about working on CSIRO-Boeing projects, seeing the clear impacts of our research.”
Part of the value of working with a partner like Boeing is also the professional development opportunities it brings.
“It has really helped develop my collaboration and leadership skills in addition to my research skills,” said Simons.
“A couple of years ago I did their leadership course, which gave me skills I could immediately take back to my projects and team.”
CSIRO’s partnership with Boeing has benefits far beyond the aviation industry, from early work in the 1980s on carbon fibre and resins, to recent testing of a multi-resolution scanner on robots in space.
Together they have invested more than $200 million across more than 220 projects, including aircraft repainting methods, sustainable aviation fuels, fire retardants and airspace monitoring tools, alongside other benefits like professional development opportunities across industries.
Thje relationship has played a key role in the development of Boeing’s operations in Australia, including the decision to establish research and development (R&D) laboratories in Brisbane and Melbourne.
These precincts house more than 120 Australian scientists engaged on advanced aerospace technologies.
A recent development in the partnership is building our capability in space through designing a multi-resolution scanner – a powerful package of 3D sensing and mapping technology.
This smart tech could have simply stayed underground. But Boeing saw the possibilities and supported our team’s application to the International Space Station National Laboratory.
The scanner is designed to conduct full 3D scans inside the International Space Station and keep track of the movement of inventory.
It is set to help astronauts and mission controllers in planning activities onboard the station. The scanner fits onto a NASA robot platform that roams the station, assisting with a range of tasks.
If multi-resolution scanning passes this gravity-defying test, we will develop the technology for other space applications. This will support the cooperation of people and tech in future space activities.
Looking ahead, Simons is excited about the possibilities in sustainability.
“Our team do a lot in the circular economy and sustainable materials, it’s an exciting space for the future,” said Simons.
The partners are currently exploring sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) with Boeing.
Unlike conventional jet fuel, SAF is produced from renewable sources – like agricultural waste, animal fats and vegetable oils – and significantly reduces carbon emissions over the fuel’s lifecycle.
This makes it a more sustainable alternative for powering aircraft.
Last year, the partners developed the SAF Roadmap together.
We identified key opportunities for building an Australian SAF industry and recommended the key actions required to help it overcome financial, legal and technological barriers.
The Roadmap shows Australia is well placed to supply renewable sources for a domestic SAF industry, setting the scene for continued research and development on sustainability alongside Boeing.