Australia to create space agency for economic boost
Australia has announced it will create its own space agency to increase its share of the billion-dollar space economy.
Prime minister Malcolm Turnbull said on Monday the agency would be part of Australia's development of an innovation and science economy.
"It's a small agency to coordinate and lead," Mr Turnbull told reporters. "The space sector, of course, is one of enormous potential."
Acting minister for industry, innovation and science Michaelia Cash said the agency's charter would be developed by the end of March.
"The global space industry is growing rapidly and it's crucial that Australia is part of this growth," Ms Cash said in a statement.
"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," she added.
The opposition Labour Party in Australia said such an agency is needed to increase the country's share of a global space economy from less than 1% of what the government estimates is worth about 420 billion Australian dollars (€280 billion)
It said Australia and Iceland are the only countries in the 35-member Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development that do not have a space agency.
Australia in 1967 became one of the first countries to launch a satellite and images of astronaut Neil Armstrong's first steps on the moon were transmitted by Nasa's Honeysuckle Creek tracking station in Australia.
But successive governments have baulked at establishing a space agency because of cost. The government has yet to announce how much it will invest in the new agency.
AP
