The Australian Academy of Science has said that Australia needs to invest in its own satellites in order to stop complete reliance on international satellites.
According to the Academy, Australia has a heavy reliance on foreign-owned satellites which help with weather forecasting, resource and water management as well as disaster systems that could be of a potential risk as information would take longer to reach Australia.
Yesterday the Science Academy announced that they are proposing a 10-year plan to grow the space industry in Australia in order to improve the lives of all Australians. Emeritus Professor and Chairman of the National Committee for Space and Radio Science Fred Menk said there needs to be a step forward in Australia’s space involvement.
“Meeting Australia’s future earth observation needs [and] requires appropriate sovereign capability including enhanced science observations, analysis and modelling capability,” he said to the Australian Academy of Science.
“A major space weather event with catastrophic impacts on the global economy is likely within our lifetimes, however, Australian research can greatly improve our predictive capability,”
“Australia must have a space industry of its own – one that we can turn into a high-tech manufacturing, knowledge-based, research supported, export industry in a world hungry for it.”
In the plan there are three vital headline recommendations suggesting that “a national research priority in space science [be] established that aligns with civil and defence sovereign industry capability requirements, encourages discovery and innovation, and helps build capacity for national benefit and international impact”.
While other recommendations include “a Lead Scientist role is established in the Australian Space Agency with responsibility for space science policy settings. The role should include responsibility for providing strategic science policy advice, facilitating cross-sector engagement and international collaboration, and fostering capacity development initiatives”. Also, a “commitment to and investment in an ongoing national space program, enabled by space missions that advance science, stimulate technical innovation, address national priorities, grow capability and inspire citizens”.
In total there are nine recommendations with the implementation of the 10-year plan hoping to gain benefits such as “improved telehealth delivery and health outcomes, enhanced STEM engagement and workforce capability as well as sovereign capability to develop and operate small and medium satellite space mission” according to the Australia in Space report.
The Australian space science plan has already started late last year with it expected to go to 2030.
