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WAILEA, Hawaii – NASA signed an agreement with its Australian counterpart on September 21 to cooperate with NASA's Artemis program as Australia seeks to strengthen its space segment.
At a ceremony at NASA headquarters, the two space agencies signed a "joint statement of intent" regarding cooperation on NASA's plans to send humans back to the moon. The event brought together the leaders of both agencies, as well as Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross.
The roles that Australia will plan in the Artemis program or other exploration projects remain to be determined. In a statement, NASA considered that Australia is contributing "in areas of common interest, such as robotics, automation and remote asset management", leveraging its capabilities in the mining sector. .
"This will give Australian companies a chance to gain a foothold in the growing international space supply chains," Morrison said at the signing ceremony. "The Australian Space Agency will work with NASA on how to support an important part of its mission." This work, he added, could include systems or lunar surface capabilities for the lunar gateway.
Morrison also used the speech to announce that the Australian government would spend $ 150 million ($ 102 million) over the next five years to support "mission and related activities," he said, noting that the funds could increase. "I think that's where we'll start."
How this money will be spent is uncertain. A statement from the Australian government said the additional funding would go "in our local businesses and in new technologies that will support NASA in its inspiring campaign to return to the moon and travel to Mars."
The Australian Space Agency, in its own statement, said the investment would partially support pilot projects and demonstrations of "investment-ready" Australian technologies that could support space activities, which could in turn support cooperation with NASA and other space agencies. help Australian space companies win business.
The agreement and funding announcements are the latest signs of growing support for the Australian space industry. The Australian Space Agency officially started operations in July 2018 after years of efforts by space industry supporters in the country to establish an agency. Among other activities, the agency has recently completed the development of a new set of regulations to make it easier for businesses to launch in the country.
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