Improving Tasmanian space facilities will further cement Australia’s place in the global space industry, along with Europe, North and South America and Asia. Not only will this improve Australia's technological prowess, it will have a positive flow on effect for local researchers, education facilities and the next generation of space enthusiasts.
This project is part of the $19.5 million Space Infrastructure Fund announced in the 2019-20 budget, which will build Australia’s space capabilities by supporting infrastructure investment across the country.
The $19.5 million Space Infrastructure Fund includes:
- $2 million for the delivery of future world-class space manufacturing capability in NSW, which will support the development of high-tech skills and new space objects; and
- A $6 million Mission Control Centre in South Australia, which will create a platform for SMEs and researchers to control small satellite missions, enabling real-time control and testing and the accelerated development of Australian satellite technology.
Strengthening Australia's international connections and upgrading Tasmania’s facilities to a commercial standard will boost Australia's share of the US$350 billion global space market, fuelling investment in the region, and creating new jobs for skilled workers.
Australia’s pioneering space sector is developing rapidly, the government said, and we need to maximise this growth for the benefit of the broader economy. The space fund will support the Coalition’s plan to help create 1.25 million more jobs over the next five years.
The government's investment in space is underpinned by the new 10-year Australian Civil Space Strategy that will also help to ensure the space sector can gain a larger share of the space economy.
The Liberal media release explained, "The Coalition’s plan for Australia’s space economy includes an aim to triple the size of the space sector to $12 billion and create up to 20,000 new jobs by 2030, and this will be aided by expansion of space industries in the states and territories. This is part of our greater plan to boost national economic growth and create an additional 1.25 million jobs over the next five years."
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