Minister Barr: CBR reaches for the stars to become centre of the National Space Economy
- Written by ACT Government
Released 03/11/2015
The ACT Government is seeking to promote the territory as the national hub of Australia’s space economy – creating more jobs in the knowledge economy.
The Government has already indicated our support for the further development of a world class space industry in Canberra with the announcement of $50,000 to help establish a Space Research and Innovation Hub, a key element of a broader industry cluster that would take shape at Mount Stromlo.
Canberra is fast becoming the knowledge capital of Australia – one if every nine Canberrans are either working or studying at one of our tertiary education institutions. Becoming a hub of aeronautical research and development will allow Canberra to continue attracting and retaining researchers to our city – playing to our strengths and creating more jobs. A 2014 report valued the space economy at US$314 billion per annum with annual growth of 8 percent per annum.
The ACT is already home to significant space infrastructure, including the Canberra Deep Space Communication Complex, the Advanced Instrumentation and Technology Centre (a national facility for space environmental tests) and the EOS Laser Ranging Facility, which is used to track space debris for the Space Environment Research Centre. We also have a range of high end users and customers across government and also in the corporate sector.
The ACT Government has been working with key organisations such as ANU, UNSW Canberra and EOS Space Systems to define and project Canberra’s potential. At the upcoming meeting of industry ministers, the ACT Government will be arguing that it is time to take this exciting industry growth agenda forward. I look forward to working with the Commonwealth and the other states and the Northern Territory to develop this important 21st Century industry.
- Statement ends -
Section: Andrew Barr, MLA | Media Releases
