Lost in Space? Setting A New Direction for Australia's Space Science and Industry Sector

The committee's interim report summarised what it saw as the key questions that need to be answered to assess in what ways, if any, the government needs to act to optimise Australia's capabilities in space science, industry and education.>> In this, its final report, the committee seeks to answer those questions and provide its conclusions and recommendations.>> The report is structured around different aspects of space science and industry. The committee views the most important commercial aspect for Australia as 'looking down', the use of satellites for earth observation, described in Chapter 2. The next chapter is concerned with 'looking out', the domain of astronomers. Chapter 4 turns to 'going up', the potential for Australia as a launch centre. Chapter 5 discusses some of the roles of government in relation to space, covering support for research, education and assistance to space industry on economic and security grounds.>> The report concludes with a chapter on whether Australia needs a 'space policy' and an agency to implement it.>>> Click here for the full report (94 pages in PDF format) on the Senate Economics Committee website.>> -ends->>>