Space

Australian Space Office

The Australian Space Office was established in 1987. Successive Federal Budgets provided on average around $4 million per year for the non-CSIRO National Space Program (NSP), to total approximately $30 million over 1985-1992. This was around a third of the amount spent by the CSIRO on space (mainly astronomy) over that period. The purpose of the NSP was to promote the growth of commercially viable industries based on space technologies, and encourage greater involvement by industry in space R&D.

In 1992 the Australian Government commissioned an expert panel review of the NSP. As a result, the Government passed the Australian Space Council Act 1994, which incorporated a National Space Program to be implemented under a five year strategic plan. This plan would give priority to a greater involvement by Australia in international Earth observation programs from space.

The NSP mission was to secure for Australia net benefits from the development and use of space-r'elated science, technology and industry. Later funding for the NSP was $5.4 million in 1992-93 and 1993-94, and $9 million ($3 million carryover) for 1994-95. Between 1987 and 1996 the NSP operated on a total budget of about $50 million. This compares with the expert panel's recommended program budget of $20 million per year by 1994-95. (Note that the NSP funding outlined above did not include the operational budget of agencies with space-related responsibilities.)

Also in 1992, the Bureau of Industry Economics (BIE) Review of the National Space Program concluded that there was little demonstrable benefit to Australia from the Program. The BIE recommended that industry development objectives for the space sector be delivered through the existing range of industry assistance programs. The BIE also assessed that few science outcomes had been achieved through the NSP, but recommended that the Australian Research Council give further consideration to the merits of designating space as a priority area for general science funding.

Consistent with the findings of the BIE, the Howard Government abolished the Australian Space Office and the Australian Space Council in 1996, and terminated NSP funding in June 1996. The Australian Space Council Act 1994 was repealed in 1999.

Australia is frequently identified as one of the few OECD nations or Asia-Pacific nations without a national space program. However, it should be noted that the national space agencies of many European countries restrict their activity to the management of national membership of the European Space Agency. In addition, many regional comparator countries (e.g. Thailand) have space programs that are mostly or entirely directed at developing the capabilities and establishing the infrastructure needed to acquire and use data derived from space-based sources - capabilities and infrastructure that Australia already has through the Australian Centre for Remote Sensing (ACRES) and the Bureau of Meteorology.

Australia is a sophisticated user of space data and services, and it has well-developed infrastructure and capabilities to support this use, for example, through the Bureau of Rural Sciences, the Bureau of Meteorology and Geoscience Australia. Australia also has a sophisticated space science and research sector, with strong capabilities in space weather (through the Australian Space Weather Agency), ground segments, astronomy, and propulsion resear h (e.g. the Australian Hypersonics Initiative and the Australian National University's plasma thrusters). These niche capabilities are supported through a range of industry and research assistance programs.

Five decades after Australia became only the third country to launch its own satellite, the government on 25 September 2017 announced it was setting up its own space agency. The announcement, made by South Australia Senator Simon Birmingham, coincided with the week-long space conference in the southern city of Adelaide attended by top scientists and space experts.

The Australian space sector currently generates up to 2.8 billion euros in annual revenues and employs up to 11,500 people, the website news.com.au cited Shadow Minister for Science Kim Carr as saying. The government believes the number of space sector workers could triple.

In a major win for the South Australian economy, Australia’s Space Agency will be located in Adelaide. The location announcement 12 December 2018 was the final step in establishing the Agency, launched earlier this year with a $41 million investment by the Coalition Government in the 2018–19 Budget, as part of our plan to triple Australia’s space economy to $12 billion annually and create up to 20,000 jobs by 2030.

South Australia is already home to more than 60 organisations and 800 employees in the space sector and this decision builds on the very strong technology and defence presence in our state. A major boost for the South Australian economy, the Agency will continue to build international space partnerships, opening the door for local businesses to tap into the US$345 billion global space industry, helping to drive local job growth.

The Coalition Government is building on its defence industry investment in South Australia by strongly backing it in again through the Agency location. This is another example of the Government’s plan to create new high-growth opportunities in Australia and long-term, high-wage, high-skill jobs in the space sector.