Who is Australia in Space? The Need for a National Space Policy

Abstract

Australia could be considered a relatively new entrant to the global space sector, despite a long and ongoing history of Australian space technologies and expertise. In terms of federal and state government attention for the space sector, we are still very much in an infancy, yet there are many opportunities for us to position ourselves as a space middle power, as we aim to assert ourselves as a serious space nation. However, there is work to be done on clarifying our internal policies and strategies, all of which could better reflect who Australia is as a space actor, why we are “doing” space, and what we hope to achieve. Australia needs a national space policy to centralise the nation’s values, commitments and aspirations in space, which will in turn guide investment decisions, regulations, and how effective we can be at participating in the global space sector. Show more