...space policy, but says the final frontier will be a fundamental part of Australia's economy. Junior innovation minister Kate Lundy said the policy will provide certainty and strategic direction for Australian users of satellite technology. As an inaugural step, a new space coordination office will be created within the industry department.
Labor minister Kate Lundy has launched a new satellite use policy to co-ordinate civil use of space.
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The policy gives priority to Earth observations from space, communications and navigation. It also aims to promote building and retaining Australian space expertise and planning to meet projected growth in satellite information needs by modernising and consolidating ground infrastructure.
Launching the policy at the Australian National University's Mount Stromlo Observatory, Senator Lundy said satellite imagery alone added about $3.3 billion to GDP, according to a 2010 report. Another report estimated positioning technologies such as GPS added $1 billion to GDP in 2008 and that was likely to grow to between $6 billion and $12 billion by 2030.
"The most effective contributions Australia can make to the space industry are those that leverage off our areas of niche expertise," she said. "That is why this policy focuses on supporting space-related research, education and innovation activities to nurture and grow our space industry."
Academy of Science secretary for science policy Bob Williamson said the policy provided a framework for government, industry and the science and research communities to work together to ensure to space capabilities. "Our nation is dependent on services delivered from space-based technologies for communications, weather forecasting, minerals prospecting, monitoring climate change and much more," he said in a statement. "Scientific research and innovation is crucial to Australia's effort to achieve ongoing cost-effective access to these services."