I am honoured and privileged to come back home to Australia for the amazing opportunity to lead the Australian Space Agency. I congratulate and thank Dr Megan Clark AC for her leadership standing up the Agency and for creating the conditions for growth.

To this role I bring a strong industry and entrepreneurial focus, engineering background and international networks to further advance our goal of tripling the size of Australia’s civil space sector to $12 billion and adding an extra 20,000 jobs by 2030.

The Australian Government has invested more than $700 million in the civil space sector since the Agency’s establishment in 2018. Our team has helped position the industry for success by delivering and implementing the Australian Civil Space Strategy, building new infrastructure, working with domestic and international companies and agencies to create space-based products and services, and partnering with NASA on its inspirational Moon to Mars space exploration program. We’re also ensuring the space National Manufacturing Priority plays a vital role in the Government’s $1.5 billion Modern Manufacturing Strategy.

As the Agency moves into our third year of operations, 2021 will have a strong focus on delivery. We will continue delivering technical roadmaps to support our Civil Space Priority Areas. We will also continue setting the pathway for safe space related activities for the nation, on Earth and in space while encouraging innovation and entrepreneurialism.

As an engineering and science graduate, inspiring STEM in the next generation is extremely important to me, and to creating a future diverse workforce that will grow the national space industry. I’m excited for the opening of our Australian Space Discovery Centre at Lot Fourteen in Adelaide in the first half of 2021.

I look forward to working with the industry, research sector and government to build national capability, open doors internationally, ensure safe space activities that support innovation and entrepreneurialism, inspire our nation, and seize the enormous opportunities ahead on our mission to grow and transform the industry.

Enrico Palermo

Head, Australian Space Agency

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