Anthony Albanese confirms NASA will launch rockets from Australia

American space agency NASA will be heading to Australia later this month for a series of rocket launches.

Three NASA rockets will be launched into space from the Northern Territory over the next month, in a historic milestone for Australia’s space sector.

Three scientific suborbital sounding rockets will be launched between June 26 and July 12 from the Arnhem Space Centre in what will be the first time NASA launches rockets from a commercial facility outside of the United States.

It will also mark the first NASA rocket launch from Australia since 1995, which Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says sends an “important message” to Australians considering a career in science and technology.

“We want the next generation to really look at STEM as part of Australia’s future, and that’s why this is an important project,” he said from Darwin.

NASA will launch three rockets from the Arnhem Space Centre over the next few weeks.

Northern Territory Chief Minister Natasha Fyles said the project showed the Territory was “a key part of the future”.

The rockets will be launched from the Dhupuma Platea near Nhulunbuy, on the lands of the Gumatj people.

Mr Albanese and Ms Fyles said traditional owners had been consulted as part of the approval process.

At least 75 NASA personnel will work from Australia for the launches.

Once out of the atmosphere, the rockets will allow NASA to investigate heliophysics, astrophysics and planetary science phenomena only observable from the southern hemisphere.

Freshly returned from Indonesia, Mr Albanese made the announcement from Darwin., Picture: Thomas Morgan

Science Minister Ed Husic said it was a “big deal for the country”.

“Sometimes the tall poppy syndrome gets the best of us. We think that we can’t do things … but it’s really important that the brains and capability that we have … is recognised by people offshore, in this case NASA, to have faith in what we can do,” Mr Husic said.

“It’s important for jobs, it’s important for the economy.”

Enrico Palermo, the head of the Australian Space Agency, said it would further cement Australia’s reputation as a “global space player”.

“The growth of launch related activities in Australia is helping to open up the full value chain of space activities, which will grow the sector and create new businesses and opportunities here at home,” he said.

“This launch campaign extends and strengthens Australia’s long standing partnership with the United States in the peaceful use of our outer space.”

Originally published as Anthony Albanese confirms NASA will launch rockets from Australia