Acting PM Champions Astronaut Program Benefits But Does Not Commit To ESA Agreement
National Press Club President Tom Connell questions The Hon. Richard Marles MP
Self-described space nerd and Acting Prime Minister Richard Marles has thrown his personal support behind Adelaide astronaut Katherine Bennell-Pegg, but refused to commit to the $100 million to back Australia reach orbit.
Speaking at the National Press Club on Thursday, Marles heaped high praise on Bennell-Pegg, calling her "an incredible Australian" and a worthy Australian of the Year, while deflecting questions about whether the government would fund her potential mission to the International Space Station. The decision, he said, was "outside of my lane" and a matter for other ministers.
National Press Club President Tom Connell pointed out that Marles was currently in the Acting Prime Minister role, to the amusement of the room.
Marles, who said he "grew up in the shadow of Apollo," used the occasion to make a broader argument about Australia's relationship with science. The country needed to "change its cultural relationship to science," he said, and "celebrate science and scientific achievement in a much bigger way." Dr Bennell-Pegg's Australian of the Year title, he suggested, was a chance to do exactly that — to inspire the next generation and begin "walking down a very different path when it comes to infusing science and technology within our nation and our economy."
Time, however, is a factor. Australia is in a race against the clock after the European Space Agency approved a new ISS mission, with a potential launch date as early as 2028. Backers of the mission are hoping the May budget will deliver the funding needed to secure Australia a seat.
Bennell-Pegg, 41, is among the most qualified people on Earth for such a mission. She completed the ESA astronaut program in 2024, selected from more than 22,500 applicants. She has worked across six countries and relocated to Adelaide in 2019 to take up a role as director of space technology at the Australian Space Agency.