Our Challenge

Young man working on satellite hardware. electronics.
SmatSat staff member working on satellite hardware. electronics.

Disruptive space technologies are revolutionising the way we move, connect and communicate.

As a result, our daily lives are becoming reliant on satellites and our economy is increasingly dependent on space capabilities. Space technologies will help Australians bridge the gaps of distance, connecting people more closely than ever before. We also recognise that civil and defence applications of space-related innovations are crucial for Australia. There are three dominant areas of space activity that are increasingly important to Australia’s national interests:

COMMUNICATIONS & CONNECTIVITY

Communications and Connectivity enabling access to high speed telecommunications; 

EARTH OBSERBATIONS FROM SPACE

Earth observations from space enabling us to understand and predict weather and extreme climatic events and helps us monitor out rivers and oceans, urban developments and national assets such as the great Barrier Reef;

POSITIONING, NAVIGATION AND TIMING

Positioning, navigation and timing which are increasingly utilised in our transportation systems in logistics, search and rescue, security, precision farming and mining.

Australia is currently reliant on other countries for these space systems and space related data, making us vulnerable and at risk of being left behind in the fast-moving sector.