Australian Space Agency Builds agreements at IAC2019

Overnight, the Australian Space Agency signed several agreements with three international space agencies and a major industry player at the 2019 70th International Astronautical Congress (IAC2019) in Washington, D.C. allowing the agency to strategically establish relations with international partners for the Australian space community and industry. 

The agreements with the German Aerospace Centre, Italian Space Agency, New Zealand Space Agency and Maxar Technologies were signed alongside Minister for Industry, Science and Technology Karen Andrews. 

“Australia is never going to be the biggest player, but by engaging our businesses and researchers with other space agencies and industry players around the world, we can carve out our place globally and reap the economic rewards," said Minister Andrews.

“These new agreements with the Italian, German and New Zealand space agencies build on that investment as we work to triple the size of the sector in Australia to $12 billion and create 20,000 new jobs by 2030,” she said.

The Memorandum of Understanding with the Italian Space Agency will see the Australian space community explore cooperative projects in areas including space policy, law and regulation, space weather, space education, and health care.

The letter of intent with Germany’s Space Agency, the German Aerospace Centre, will see the Australian space community provided with opportunities and cooperative projects such as biomedical research under space conditions, and quantum technologies.

The arrangement with the New Zealand Space Agency (which resides under New Zealand's Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment) is designed to encourage a trans-Tasman space innovation ecosystem. The agreement will facilitate collaboration in areas which could include launch and orbital/suborbital missions, expanding ground segment networks and remote asset management.

The Australian Space Agency has signed a Statement of Strategic Intent and Cooperation with US-based company Maxar Technologies overnight. Maxar is a global provider of advanced space-based technology solutions, with significant global expertise in Earth Observation and Robotics and Automation.

“Signings with companies such as Maxar will continue to develop the local space economy, and benefit Australians through space technologies," said Anthony Murfett, Deputy Head of the Australian Space Agency.

“Cooperation across government, private industry and research both nationally and internationally will provide linkages for Australia to access a greater segment of the global space economy,” he said.

Maxar is a core partner and significant financial contributor to the Adelaide based SmartSat CRC. The project is led by a consortium of industry and research organizations to develop game-changing technologies that drive future space capabilities in Australia and globally.

“Maxar is honored to support the Australian Space Agency as it seeks to expand the nation’s role in the international civil space community, and we look forward to contributing technology and expertise from our 65-year heritage in space to projects and programs that enable them to achieve this goal,” said Dan Jablonsky, Maxar CEO.