Launch from Woomera, Australia. (Credit Australian Defense Ministry)
ADELAIDE: Australia today announced it’s building a national space strategy, one designed to integrate the civil, commercial and military aspects of its burgeoning space industry.
Melissa Price, minister for science and technology, told an audience at the Australia Space Forum here that the strategy will try to craft a vision through to the 2040s.
The space sector in Australia has seen a rapid rise since our Government established the Australian Space Agency in 2018,” Price said. “So much has been achieved – achievements many didn’t think were possible just a few short years ago. “But we must always look forward … and this update will see the sector rocket ahead even further.
“The S-S-U will give you and your investors further confidence in the Australian space sector, as we look to deliver on our mission to triple the sector’s size to $12 billion dollars and create as many as 20,000 extra jobs by 2030.”
(Such announcements before the federal election which must be held before the end of May cannot hurt, especially since this city is the center of gravity for Australia’s space industry.)
RELATED: Is Australian Defense Minister Dutton eyeing top party job?
Enrico Palermo, the head of the Australian Space Agency, will lead the ”Space Strategic Update” but he will, one expert here wryly noted, have to dance with the gorilla known as the Australian defense establishment.
“Whenever you start dancing with the gorilla, it’s the gorilla who decides when to stop. You could very easily be overwhelmed by these behemoths,” veteran Indo-Pacific defense industry leader and the head of Nova Systems, Jim McDowell told Palermo during a panel at today’s event. McDowell, speaking with his strong Ulster accent, drew appreciative applause and laughter, along with a wry look from Palermo.
Sitting next to Palermo was the erstwhile gorilla, Air Vice Marshall Cath Roberts, Australia’s first head of its new Defense Space Command. She laughed with everyone else and noted that Palermo “outranks me.”
An array of industry and government leaders here at the Australia Space Forum were asked to help gauge how accurate McDowell’s observation was. The sentiment was universal that he is absolutely correct: defense will dominate the trajectory of the strategy for the simple reason that the vast majority of current space spending is in the defense sector.
Price, who previously served as minister for defense industry, offered more gravy to the crowd when she announced the abolition of “partial cost recovery for launch applications,” which was effectively a tax industry paid for a launch permit. This was greeted with enthusiastic applause.
”We’ve taken this decision to provide you with the certainty you need to invest, and to help our small and medium-sized space businesses continue to grow,” she told the audience. “The Morrison Government is determined to see Australia recognize its potential as a leading launch destination.”
As Price noted in her speech, Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced last week a $20 million injection for the Australian Space Manufacturing Hub to be built here at the airport. Combined with other funding, she said the project is expected to generate 221 jobs, plus more than 1,000 more indirectly — another crowd pleaser ahead of what is shaping up to be a tight election for Morrison’s governing Liberal party.
