Australia cannot build a resilient space sector while its legal framework remains incomplete and fails to keep pace with commercial change. The rise in corporate space activity means the sector is no longer defined by governments and research institutions but increasingly by private companies. But with countries vying for a share of the emerging space economy, Australia’s regulatory uncertainty risks deterring commercial investment. This has implications not only for Australia’s commercial space sector but also for its long-term security.
Australia currently has only one piece of specialised space legislation – one that establishes a licensing and permitting regime for launches and returns. A House of Representatives standing committee report has noted that this ‘fails to capture the full life of a space operation’.
Most important is the absence of regulations governing commercial satellite remote sensing and space resource ownership.
(Tristan Eng – ASPI The Strategist)
The Global Eye is in partnership with SIOI
