Developing Australia's space industry capability

Space is a fast-growing and competitive commercial sector. Space technologies support Australian innovation and the digital economy.

Developing roadmaps for the Australian space industry

We have identified 7 national civil space priority areas. These areas will deliver the best outcomes for the Australian space sector.

The roadmap for each area:

• guides and informs industry, research, and government
• maps out the future workforce
• aligns the space sector
• advances the Australian space industry over the next decade.

We will release roadmaps through 2021 and 2022.

Cooperating with businesses in the space industry

We develop statements of strategic intent and cooperation (SSIs) with businesses. These agreements:

• promote industry investment in the space sector
• are non-binding joint statements between the agency and commercial organisations operating in Australia.

Through SSIs we invite commercial organisations to:

• support the agency’s goals to grow the Australian space economy and increase employment
• invest in facilities, people, and research and development.

Call for businesses to develop SSIs

You should talk to us if you’re a business doing any of these things:

• operating in the traditional space sector
• providing goods and services, and you identify space as a potential new market
• using space technologies as a key part of your business model, like supporting agriculture or remote asset management.

Conditions for an SSI

To develop an SSI, commercial organisations must:

• be Australian, or an Australian subsidiary of an international organisation
• align their activities with the Australian Civil Space Strategy’s priority areas, strategic pillars or both
• align investments and activities with the Australian Civil Space Strategy’s investment principles
• identify and quantify the investments they will make in Australia – these must contribute to the growth of our space industry and lift the economy
• ensure the proposed investment’s business practices align with the agency’s values and do not violate human rights or Australian laws.

Opportunities for startups

Our department provides support for startups on business.gov.au.

CSIRO funding schemes can help businesses with a turnover of less than $100 million.