Australia’s New Space Agency
July 3, 2018
On July 1, Australia’s space industry blasted off into uncharted territory with the establishment of the Australian Space Agency. The agency aims to coordinate and develop Australia’s space industry to make it competitive on the global stage. In the near future, the Australian Space Agency will work with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in the United States, the European Space Agency (ESA), and other world space programs.
The Australian Space Agency will soon be funding its own continental “selfies.” Credit: © Harvepino/Shutterstock
In a May press release, Malcolm Davis of the Australian Strategic Policy Institute clarified that the Australian Space Agency will not be a “NASA Down Under.” Rather than building and launching space hardware and running space missions, the agency will aim to boost private investment in the space sector by helping drive funding, research, and policy initiatives.
Initially, the agency will be headquartered in Canberra, the capital, and will share space with the Department of Industry, Innovation and Science. Australia’s states and territories are bidding to build a permanent headquarters for the agency. Geologist Megan Clark, who formerly served as chief executive of Australia’s Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization, will serve as the agency’s first leader.
