Fifty years after the Commonwealth of Australia launched its first satellite, the nation has finally announced its intention to create a national space program. On Monday September 25, Senator Simon Birmingham, the Australian Minister of Education, announced the government intends to establish a space agency in a speech at the 68th International Astronautical Congress (IAC) held in Australia this year, according toSpace News.
The Australian government also released a statement announcing the formation of a national space agency. "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," acting Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science Senator Michaelia Cash said in the statement.
Australian private companies and universities have participated in international space research for decades, and many of these institutions have been pushing for a national space agency for just as long. "Today, we celebrate two wonderful achievements: the hosting of the world's most important annual meeting of the international space community, and Australia's decision to participate as an equal member of that community," Michael Davis, chair of the Space Industry Association of Australia, said at the IAC.
The announcement comes in the middle of a nation-wide review of Australia's space capabilities. That review is expected to last several months, according to Space News, and a creation date for Australia's space agency has not been announced. Birmingham said more details about the space agency would be revealed September 26 at the IAC.
The nation's space agency is expected to focus on regulation and coordination with other countries at first, streamlining Australia's participation in international programs and bolstering domestic space institutions. The new agency's regulatory role will take precedence over major spaceflight or development programs, though Australian officials have expressed hope that the agency could grow to participate more heavily in many areas of space exploration. Officials have pointed to the successes of New Zealand's space agency, such as paving the way for U.S.-New Zealand company Rocket Lab to conduct launches from New Zealand's North Island, as reason for Australia to create their own agency.
The establishment of a space agency also opens the door for Australian astronauts to begin voyaging to the International Space Station to participate in international research. Previously, Australian-born citizens needed to become a citizen of another nation, such as the United States, before they could become astronauts.
Australia is only one of two countries in the 35-nation Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development that does not have a national space agency, the other country being Iceland. Soon, the land Down Under will become the 34th nation of that democratic organization to host its very own space agency.
Source: Space News
Jay Bennett is the associate editor of PopularMechanics.com. He has also written for Smithsonian, Popular Science and Outside Magazine.
