South Australia in 2018 wins the Australian space agency to be based at Lot Fourteen innovation hub
A concept for the completed Lot Fourteen innovation hub home for the Australian Space Agency, on North Terrace, Adelaide.
Image courtesy Renewal SA
South Australia became the home in 2018 to the Australian space agency, based at the Lot Fourteen innovation hub (the former Royal Adelaide Hospital site) on North Terrace, Adelaide.
It will oversee the nation’s burgeoning space industry with an initial 20 full-time equivalent staff. South Australia won the agency over strong competition from other states, with Adelaide astronaut Andy Thomas supporting his home state’s bid.
The federal government said Adelaide put the strongest case and was already home to more than 60 organisations and 800 employees in the space sector. South Australian space satellite startup companies include Fleet Space Technologies and Myriota. South Australia also launched Australia’s first satellite from Woomera in 1967.
The space agency is based on hopes for local businesses and Australia to access the US$345 billion global space industry. The federal government’s $41 million for the agency aimed to triple Australia’s space economy to $12 billion and create up to 20,000 jobs by 2030. Having the space agency in South Australia also dovetails with the state’s rapidly-growing defence sector.
A mission control centre and space discovery centre will be set up alongside the Australian Space Agency at Lot Fourteen. The control centre will be a focal point for space missions in Australia, able to guide small satellite missions, and accelerating Australian satellite technology. It will be available for use by space startups and small-to-medium space businesses, as well as research and educational centres across Australia. The space discovery centre will provide science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education, and activities such as simulating missions and training for university students.
The space agency was a key to the $551 million Adelaide City Deal, a joint federal, state and city governments deal focussing on Lot Fourteen.
