Space+Spatial Industry Growth Roadmap 2030

Australia’s space and geospatial* industries have reached a pivotal moment in their development. Both are small by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s (OECD) standards. Neither has yet created a multi-national commercial enterprise. Without additional and specific actions, neither is likely to meet the rapidly growing needs of Australia’s civilian and defence sectors over the coming decades.

Australia needs to significantly strengthen, integrate and coordinate these two vital sectors so that they can innovate, grow and deliver at pace and position Australia to join the digital age’s global leaders.

Australia is fundamentally reliant on space and geospatial based information flows for economic productivity and management of critical issues including climate change, security and environmental management. As a nation, Australia must decide if it is going to keep pace with global developments in space and geospatial industries. Will Australia choose to make sufficient investment in areas including satellite manufacturing, Spatial Digital Twins, artificial intelligence, machine learning and data reception and become an active player in these markets or will Australia miss the opportunity to fully participate strategically and economically?

This roadmap is the product of extensive and industry-wide consultation. It sets out nine high-priority objectives that, if undertaken, will help ensure Australia’s interlinked space and geospatial industries maximise their growth potential, and deliver critical services to Australia’s governments, commercial and defence sectors, and the wider community.

These objectives are designed to inform government policy and support industry. They will strengthen and integrate the space and geospatial sectors. They advance and champion space and geospatial industry expertise in areas including:

• Weather and climate forecasting
• Natural disaster preparation and response
• Telecommunications including broadcasting, telephony and internet access
• Positioning, Navigation and Timing (PNT) for all forms of transport and logistics operations
• Timing signals for financial transactions
• Critical infrastructure
• Defence

A competitive advantage for Australia

A wide range of space and geospatial roadmaps, plans and strategies already exist. This paper acknowledges these important contributions. However, the nine priorities in this paper do more than complement these previous works. They are a call to action.

Australia has a golden opportunity to establish new and deeper relationships with the emerging sovereign space industry as well as with the established players in the geospatial industry. Australia must think long term and do so with foresight, planning and ambition. If Australia collectively seizes this opportunity, it can accelerate the rate of growth of both industries and achieve critical mass far more quickly. Building Australia’s space and geospatial capabilities are mission critical to the future of this nation.

Dr Peter Woodgate
Chair, Steering Committee