The Australian Government is cementing Australia as a leading space nation in the region, with a range of new investments and reforms.
More than $65 million is being injected to fast track Australia’s access to space. There are 4 main elements of this package:
- Spaceport development: $32.3 million for the government to co-invest spaceports and launch sites across Australia.
- Support for spaceflights: the government will invest $32.5 million to procure and provide spaceflights to get Australian technology into space sooner. This includes $3.5 million for a national student space challenge.
- A framework for human spaceflight in Australia: this could make Australia a regional hub for commercial human spaceflight.
- Putting an Australian astronaut in space: the Australian Space Agency will negotiate with international agencies to send Australian astronauts into space. Its main priority will be identifying possible mission contributions to exploration that could support the exchange of Australian astronauts.
We will no longer be introducing fees for launch applications after deferring them twice. This will let companies invest in the future with certainty and encourage more launches from Australia.
The change is part of the Australian Space Agency’s broader regulatory reform program to encourage launches in Australia.
The Agency will also develop a Space Strategic Update (SSU), a vision to align efforts across the nation through to the 2040s.
It will give the government direction on future funding opportunities. It will also give the sector confidence to make longer-term investment decisions.
The Australian Space Agency will engage across industry and government over the next 18 months to deliver the SSU.
It will also set up an expert advisory panel to guide the delivery of the SSU. The panel will include leaders from the space industry and academia.