Page 28 - AA 2018_09

BOOSTED

The Australian Space Agency achieves launch

WRITER: SOLANGE CUNIN

n July 1 history was made Australian Government has Space Agency). Our agency is much size of the local space industry to be
with the official launch of the committed to investing more practical and modern, and it worth around $10-12 billion, with a
Australian Space Agency, a $300 million in space. digital has been formed with an eye on the ‘B’. And, of course, to have created jobs
Omajor milestone in the nation’s earth australia increasingly commercial nature of the and economic growth.
space history. international space industry. “We have an extraordinary
The establishment of the space There are only a couple of national opportunity to grow the size of our
agency came after many years of work agencies that have the funding to domestic space industry by up to
by dedicated industry members. A conduct large frontier missions that $12 billion by 2030,” said Minister for
group of de facto leaders within the send infrastructure to other terrestrial Jobs and Innovation, Michaelia Cash.
space industry in Australia, and expats bodies, and the Australian Space The industry growth targets are
working within the international space Agency is not one of them. Instead it ambitious, especially considering the
industry, worked tirelessly to show will aim to help local businesses gain modest seed investment the most
government the opportunity space a greater share of the US$345 billion recent 2018-19 budget has allocated
presents for Australia. global space market. to the agency: $26 million over four
The role of the Australian Space The government’s ambitions for years, and a further $15 million to
Agency is not to be the equivalent the agency are high. By 2030, the fund partnerships with international
of a NASA or an ESA (European government hopes to have tripled the space agencies.

28 AUSTRALIAN AVIATION