Satellite policy puts nation on a flight path into future Professor Russell Boyce, right, chats with Senator Kate Lundy. Photo: Graham Tidy It does not mean we will soon be exploring other planets or sending our own astronauts into orbit, but Australia now has its first ever space policy. With an emphasis on making the most of satellite technology, the government has looked skyward and decided space is an important place to be. Assistant Industry and Innovation Minister Kate Lundy has officially launched Australia's Satellite Utilisation Policy, saying it would provide certainty and strategic direction for satellite technology users. Professor Daniel Shaddock of the ANU Research School of Physics and Engineering. Before a gathering of scientists at Mount Stromlo Observatory on Tuesday, Senator Lundy said ongoing, cost effective access to satellite capabilities was essential to Australia's future. "Satellite capabilities are now a fundamental part of Australia's economy, our environmental management and our communications infrastructure," she said. The current importance and future potential of satellites is not something we can ignore. The minister said satellite imagery alone adds about $3.3 billion a year to Australia's gross domestic product, while positioning technologies add another $1 billion a year. The policy does not commit Australia to astronauts, domestic launch capabilities or to the exploration of other planets. Instead, the policy safeguards interests closer to home," Senator Lundy said. It recognises that space capabilities enhance services Australians depend on. It seeks to protect and enhance our access to those capabilities through better domestic co-ordination and focused international engagement. Under the new policy, a Space Co-ordination Office in the Department of Industry, Innovation, Climate Change, Science, Research and Tertiary Education will be in operation from July 1. It will be responsible for co-ordinating and showcasing Australia's domestic civilian space activities. On show at the policy's launch were space research projects highlighting Australia's pioneering leadership in satellite technology. The projects, funded from a $40 million government investment into space-related research, included trialling hypersonic combustion ramjets; automated tracking of space debris; and the development of Antarctic broadband. The Australian National University's Daniel Shaddock displayed his GRACE Follow-on Mission project, which is developing prototype hardware for a laser ranging system to help monitor the earth's gravity field with more precision than before. The current GRACE, which stands for Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment, has collected data that measures the effects of climate change such as rising sea levels and melting glaciers. It has also been useful in understanding water balance in the Murray-Darling catchment. Professor Shaddock's GRACE Follow-on Mission's measurements will be 20 times more sensitive due to the new laser ranging system. "This project is a great example of the expertise within Australia for this laser measurement capability, which is in demand from the rest of the world," he said. Australian scientists from the ANU, CSIRO and EOS Space Systems have been working closely with NASA and German Aerospace Centre colleagues on the project. Other aspects of Australia's Satellite Utilisation Policy include: giving priority to Earth observations from space; contributing to international "rules of the road" for space; building high quality Australian space expertise; and developing a plan to meet growth in Australia's satellite information needs. The Australian Academy of Science welcomed the policy launch as an "important step in the nation's journey into space." Academy secretary for science policy Bob Williamson said the nation was dependent on services delivered from space-based technologies for communications, weather forecasting, minerals prospecting, and more. "Scientific research and innovation is crucial to Australia's effort to achieve ongoing cost-effective access to these services," Professor Williamson said.