Dick Smith pledges $1m to put Australian astronaut in space if government acts

The #flyKatherine support continues to gain steam, with a $1m pledge by Australian aviation pioneer Dick Smith to help put Australian astronaut Katherine Bennell-Pegg on an International Space Station mission. Through conversations with Jim Whalley, CEO of Nova Systems, who has also committed $1m towards the fund, Smith said “the endeavour would encourage thousands of schoolchildren to pursue careers in engineering, science and technology.”

Smith also wrote a letter to Prime Minister Albanese, urging him to personally support an Australian partnership with the European Space Agency.

From The Australian (8/4/26)

…Dick and Pip Smith Foundation would contribute $1m if the government moved this financial year.

“This is not simply about sending one Australian into space,” he wrote. “It is about whether Australia chooses to seize a rare strategic opportunity that may not come again for decades.”

Mr Smith said the opportunity was “narrow and time-sensitive”, and urged Mr Albanese to support inclusion of the initiative in the May budget.

Mr Smith told The Australian the government needed to commit to the ESA proposal now, arguing Australia had a rare chance to capitalise on a fully trained astronaut, build advanced manufacturing capability and inspire more young people to pursue science.

“I respect Albanese. I think he’s a very good prime minister, and he’s talked about more manufacturing, and space is where the money is,” he said.

Mr Smith said putting an Australian into space would help drive science uptake among school students and strengthen the country’s industrial base, rather than serving as a mere prestige exercise.

His letter said Australia stood to gain “immediate and long-term returns” from what he described as a relatively modest investment over several years, including stronger STEM participation, growth in highly skilled jobs, greater private investment in the domestic space sector and deeper partnerships in advanced technology, research and innovation.

He also wrote that Australian industry was already supporting the push with financial and in-kind contributions, which he said pointed to the economic return the sector believed could flow from the mission.

Industry can contribute in a similar fashion by contacting us through our website.