peak body for the Australian space Industry, SIAA, puts forward the case for space

2026 Australian of the Year astronaut Katherine Bennell-Pegg. (AAP Image/Mick Tsikas)

Dan Lloyd, CEO, Space Industry Association of Australia has emphasised the “thousand-person system” behind a spaceflight and the extensive leading-edge R&D and industrial capabilities this would drive in Australia.

Behind the European Space Agency’s spaceflight offer to Katherine Bennell-Pegg sits a compelling strategic case: space infrastructure underpins an estimated $315 billion of Australia's economy every single day, from banking and transport to emergency services and disaster response. A mission wouldn't just be a historic milestone — it would open international procurement pipelines, accelerate a space industry already employing 17,000 Australians, and deliver the kind of returns Canada and Japan have been generating from equivalent investments for decades.

The space industry has produced a host of critical innovations that support everyday life, from wireless headphones to CAT scans. It would be a high-return investment in delivering benefits for Australia, so the most important question is what it would actually cost this country to lose the opportunity.

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