Australia to establish national space agency

September 24, 2017

CANBERRA - The Australian Government has committed to establishing a national space agency to ensure Australia has a long-term plan to grow its domestic space industry. It says the agency will be the anchor for domestic co-ordination and the “front door” for international engagement.

The Acting Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science, Senator Michaelia Cash, said establishment of a space agency is one of the key issues being examined by an Expert Reference Group appointed to review Australia’s space industry capability.

“The global space industry is growing rapidly and it is crucial that Australia is part of this growth,” she said.

“A national space agency will ensure we have a strategic long-term plan that supports the development and application of space technologies and grows our domestic space industry.”

Former CSIRO Chief Dr Megan Clark is chairing the Reference Group, and its review is said to be well advanced. (ATI).