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Dr Ed Kruzins

CSIRO Director NASA Operations & Canberra Deep Space Communication Complex

https://people.csiro.au/K/E/Ed-Kruzins

Biography

Ed Kruzins is a CSIRO Honorary Fellow and the previous CSIRO Director of NASA Operations and the Canberra Deep Space Communications Complex (CDSCC) which he left in February 2021.

As CDSCC Director he was responsible for our space tracking obligations to the fleet of 40 international space missions operating across the Solar System on behalf of NASA & CSIRO under the auspices of US/AS Bilateral Space Tracking Treaty. He is also the CSIRO scientific lead for optical communications for space applications and seconded to the Australian Space Agency for part of his time.

Prior to joining CSIRO in 2012, he was the Director General of Capability Science (DGCS) to the Australian Department of Defence (DoD), Ed reporting to the Chief of Capability Development Group and representing the Chief Defence Scientist on major capital equipment acquisition under the National Defence Capability Plan. He was a permanent member of the star ranked Defence Options Review Committee and Capability Development Boards. Previously he was the Director General for Defence Simulation (DGSIM) within Australian Defence Headquarters and chair of the Defence Simulation Committee.

From 2004 to 2006 Ed was Engineering and Deputy Site Manager of the NASA Deep Space Communications Complex Tidbinbilla in Canberra where his tenure provided 24/7 ground station capability to 40 international space missions including the Cassini, Huygens Titan encounters, the Mars & Lunar Recon Orbiter, Spirit Rover, Deep Impact and the Voyager spacecraft, now the deepest space object made by man.

Prior, he was employed with the Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO) included joint authorship of Defences first Network Centric Warfare Roadmap. He played key roles in the development of Defences Space Based Surveillance capability and was lead scientific negotiator for the Aus/US Satellite Ground Facilities in central Australia. He was Australian National Leader for the five eyes Technical Cooperation Panel TTCP on Space Based Surveillance.

Ed began his working career in the UK with BAE Space Systems where he provided systems and design engineering for a suite of European commercial and military satellites, including Olympus 1, Inmarsat 2, Telecom 2, Skynet 4 and others on behalf of the UK government, NATO and the European Space Agency. With the European Union as sponsor his team provided the first study work on the European Galileo constellation.

Ed obtained his PhD degree at Southampton University UK, in Aerospace Engineering and obtained his science degree with honours at the University of Sydney in Astrophysics.

Other Interests

Sailing, motorcycle charity work, surfing and sub Aqua

Professional Areas

Fields of Research

Current

Former

Current Roles

  • CSIRO Honorary Fellow
    Deep space, optical communications, asteroid radar

  • Previous Director
    Canberra Deep Space Communication Complex

Academic Qualifications

  • 1987

    PhD
    Southampton University UK

  • 1981

    M.Sc
    Sydney University

  • 1980

    B.Sc (Hons)
    Sydney University

Professional Experiences

  • 1981-1986

    Reseach Assistant
    Southampton University UK

  • 1986-1989

    Senior Design Engineer Spacecraft
    British Aerospace UK

  • 1989-1991

    Spacecraft Systems Engineer
    British Aerospace UK

  • 1991-1995

    European Space Agency Liason
    Matra Marconi Space

  • 1995-2000

    Senior Research Scientist
    Defence Dept

  • 2000-2004

    Principal Research Scientist
    Defence Dept Aus

  • 2004-2006

    Systems Engineering Manager
    Canberra Deep Space Communication Complex/ Raytheon Australia

  • 2006-2009

    Director General Simulation
    Defence Dept Aus

  • 2009-2012

    Director General Capability Science
    Defence Dept Aus

  • 2012-2021

    Director NASA Operations & Canberra Deep Space Communication Complex
    CSIRO Aus

  • 2019-2021

    Seconded CSIRO interface to Australian Space Agency
    Australian Space Agency

Achievements and Awards

  • 2015-2015

    Prime Ministers recognition for services to the Rosetta Mission
    Prime Ministers Office

  • 2016-2016

    NASA recognition for services to new antenna delivery DSS35 & 36
    NASA

  • 2003-2003

    Services to Network Centric Warfare
    Dept of Defence Aus

Other highlights

  • 2019-2020

    Seconded to the Australian Space Agency as NASA Liaison

  • 2017-2017

    Director Earth station for Cassini Saturn Mission Grande Finale

  • 2015-2015

    Director Earth station for New Horizons Pluto-Charon encounter

  • 2012-2012

    Director Earth station for Curiosity Rover landing on Mars

  • 2006-2009

    Chair Defence Simulation Committee

  • 2006-2012

    Member Defence Options Review Committee

  • 2006-2012

    Member Defence Capability Committee

  • 1996-1999

    TTCP National Leader for Space Based Surveillance

  • 1992-1996

    Member British National Space Centre Industry Policy Committee

Grants

  • 2019-2020

    Space Future Science Platform for Optical Communications

  • 2012-2013

    ACT Government STEM Education Funds for the CDSCC STARS Program

Community and Corporate Citizenship

  • 2000-2001

    Volunteer 2000 Sydney Olympic Games - Track and Field

  • 2016-present

    International Space Exploration Coordination Group

  • 2018-2021

    International Mars Exploration Working Group