On Tuesday 9 April 2013, Senator Kate Lundy, Minister Assisting for Industry and Innovation, launched Australia’s Satellite Utilisation Policy in the Integration Hall of The Australian National University (ANU) Advanced Instrumentation and Technology Centre (AITC).

The event was well attended by representatives from government, the diplomatic sector, industry and academia. Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research), Professor Margaret Harding, welcomed the Minister and guests to ANU.

Australia's Satellite Utilisation Policy (PDF, 1.3MB) provides a vision for Australia’s use of space and space-related technologies including providing strategies to enable Australia to meet its national priorities through space and to ensure Australia meets its future space-related education and innovation needs.

Australia’s Satellite Utilisation Policy reflects the Principles for a National Space Industry Policy and reaffirms that Australian Government efforts will focus on:

• space applications that have a significant security, economic and social impact, specifically Earth Observation, Satellite Communications and Position, Navigation and Timing;
• ensuring resilient access to those space systems on which we rely now and to those important to our future national security, economic, environmental and social well-being;
• strengthening those relationships and cooperative activities on which Australia relies, and will continue to rely to a substantial degree, for space system capabilities;
• continuing to support rules-based international access to the space environment; promoting peaceful, safe and responsible activities in space;
• enhancing the coordination, understanding and strategic direction of Australia’s uses and approach to space;
• promoting collaboration between Australian public and private research and development organisations with industry in space-related activity, including space science, research and innovation in niche areas of excellence or national significance;
• ensuring Australia’s space capabilities will be used to enhance, and guard against threats to, our national security and economic well-being.

After the formalities the Minister was introduced to four of the projects funded under the Australian Space Research Program (ASRP), including two projects with ANU involvement, the Australian Plasma Thruster and Antarctic Broadband.

The policy launch was followed by a showcase of the 14 projects funded under the Australian Space Research Program. The launch and the project presentations were recorded for the ANU YouTube Channel. The link will be circulated when it is available.