CANBERRA, July 13 (Xinhua) -- The Australian government on Thursday announced a major review of its space policy, in an effort to gain a "greater understanding of the industry's capabilities" to participate in the global market.
Announcing the review in a media release, Australia's Minister of Industry, Innovation and Science Arthur Sinodinis said the government had not closed the door of potentially creating its own space agency similar to the United States' National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
"The Australian government wants to ensure the right framework and mix of incentives are in place to assist Australia's growing space industry sector to participate successfully in this global market," Sinodinis said.
"The review will consult widely and examine Australia's current capability and areas of comparative advantage, as well as our regional and international collaboration within the sector. Importantly, it will also consider how the space industry sector aligns with other sectors and government priorities."
Sinodinis said the space industry grew at a rate of 9.52 percent from 1998 to 2015, while revenue from overall space-related activities was valued at about 323 billion U.S. dollars in 2015.
"I believe that Australia can participate in the global space sector and through development of the technical capability and knowledge required for this demanding sector, we will develop skills to grow other advanced manufacturing industries in Australia," the minister said.
"This review is timely, given the current pace of change in the international space sector and advances in technologies that provide an environment that encourages commercial investment in space activities.
"It will provide a strategic framework for the Australian space sector that supports leadership, innovation, opportunity and entrepreneurship, along with our broader national interest."
The review will be chaired by the former head of the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Dr Megan Clark, and will formally begin on July 20 and is expected to conclude "by the end of March 2018", Sinodinis said.
