Australian Space HQ to open in Adelaide

Scott Morrison has hailed the launch of a $41 million Australian Space Agency in Adelaide as “visionary”.

Adelaide is poised to become the headquarters of the Australian Space Agency.

Scott Morrison has hailed the launch of a $41 million Australian Space Agency in Adelaide as “visionary” and invoked the words of Star Trek hero Captain Kirk to mark his investment into the space sector.

A purpose-built centre for more than 100 space industry experts will be built at Lot 14, the old Royal Adelaide Hospital site in Adelaide’s CBD, and is expected to triple the turnover of the nation’s space agency to $12bn.

“We will transform this site into a jobs magnet for some of the most exciting, visionary jobs you can think of: working in high technology, working in the Space Agency, working on the future,” the Prime Minister told reporters in Adelaide this morning.

“(South Australian Premier) Stephen Marshall had one message for me when it came to the Space Agency: ‘Beam me up, Scotty.’

“We will go where no premier and prime minister has gone before when it comes to the Space Agency.”

The South Australian model accommodates branches of key federal agencies such as CSIRO, Defence Science and Technology Group and Geoscience Australia at the facility, and is expected to create 20,000 jobs by 2030.

Mr Marshall told The Australian that long-term investment in Adelaide and its space sector would drive entrepreneurship and innovation while enhancing the city’s liveability.

“South Australia is the ideal location for the Australian Space Agency, with a range of local space industry businesses already established here as well as a rapidly growing defence industry sector,” he said.

“Establishing the headquarters of the Australian Space Agency in South Australia will launch our space and defence sectors to the next level.”