Australia’s plan to be a space manufacturing hub by 2030

SA is set to be at the heart of a space manufacturing boom with plans for Australia to take part in international missions and launch locally-made satellites by 2030.

A NASA launch at Cape Canaveral in 2020. Picture: Joel Kowsky/ NASA/ AFP

Australia will be taking part in international space missions, making its own satellites and be globally recognised for its rocket launch pads by 2030, according to a roadmap to be unveiled on Friday.

The plan sets two, five and ten-year goals to grow Australia’s space manufacturing sector, and is part of the Federal Government’s plan to modernise manufacturing in Australia after Covid-19.

The first grants in the Commonwealth’s $1.3 billion ‘Modern Manufacturing Initiative’ also open today for the space sector.

Businesses can apply for the grants to help them turn research into a commercial product or to integrate into global space supply chains.

By 2030, the roadmap says Australian companies will be “able to manufacture and then launch small satellites to space, with an initial focus on Low Earth Orbit, Medium Earth Orbit, Geostationary Equatorial Orbit and beyond, using launches from Australian territory”.

Southern Launch successfully launched a rocket with a DEWC Systems payload in outback SA in 2020. Picture: Sean-Jorgensen Day/ DEWC Systems

Australia will be “recognised for launch infrastructure and capabilities leveraging its unique location in the southern hemisphere,” it says.

Australian-made equipment will also be used as “mission critical subsystems in national and international missions” within ten years, while Australian companies will be working in lucrative sectors like robotics and automation in space and advanced communications.

SA is increasingly seen as the space jobs hub of Australia, with the Australian Space Agency based at Lot Fourteen.

Adelaide start-up Southern Launch has already established rocket launch sites at Whalers Way on the tip of the Eyre Peninsula and at Koonibba, near Ceduna.

The company successfully launched two rockets in 2020.

Queensland and the Northern Territory are also looking to establish rocket launch sites.

Industry Minister Karen Andrews during Question Time in Parliament House, Canberra. Picture: Gary Ramage

“This road map sets out our vision for manufacturing investment in the sector, which will complement the excellent work already being done by the Australian Space Agency to grow the economy and create jobs,” Federal Industry Minister Karen Andrews said.

“From products launched into space like nano and small satellites, through to space components like sensors and communication arrays, Australia has a number of unique opportunities across space manufacturing.”

The grants which open today will be run as a co-contribution, with businesses chipping in money for projects and the federal government up to half the cost.

The Federal Government aims to triple the size of Australia’s space sector to $12 billion a year and to create up to 20,000 extra jobs in the industry by 2030.