The Conversation contributed the article to Space.com's expert voices.
The professor of Digital Technology, Security and Governance is at the university.
Three rockets will be launched from the Arnhem Space Centre in the Northern Territory over the next month. The 13 meter sounding rockets will take scientific observations, even though they won't reach the space station.
The launches are the first of their kind in Australia. As well as signaling the opportunity for future joint projects between Australia and the US, they are a major step forward for commercial space operators.
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The space centre is run by a commercial operator. It is located on the land of the Gumatj people, who are the traditional custodians of the land.
The launch plans are a step towards the future for our people, according to the chair of the corporation.
This is the first time that NASA has launched a rocket from outside the US.
NASA personnel will travel to the NT to support the launch and scientific program.
NASA designed and built the rockets that will be used for scientific investigations into the physics of the sun, as well as the type of planetary science we can only conduct in the southern hemisphere. NASA says after the launches it will clean up all material and return it to the US.
The first announcement of the NASA contract was in 2019. The launches have been delayed due to travel restrictions and other issues.
The Starlink satellite launch photos are amazing.
A larger launch facility with three launch pads is planned by Equatorial Launch Australia.
There will be several more launches this year. The company wants to have 50 or more launches in the next two years.
There are three proposed launch sites in Australia.
Southern Launch conducted sub-orbital launches from its Koonibba Test Range in South Australia in September 2020 with the Koonibba Community Aboriginal Corporation.
The Whaler's Way Orbital Launch Complex on the Eyre Peninsula has been granted a licence to operate by Southern Launch.
A licence has been applied for by Gilmour Space Technologies. The traditional owners of the land are supported by the application. This site will be used to build and launch rockets.
The development of an Australian launch capability will be a big step.
In the 1960s, the launch facilities at Woomera in South Australia were used as part of the EDO project.
The fourth nation in the world to launch a domestic-built satellite was Australia in 1967. The WRESAT was launched from Woomera and stayed in the air until 1968.
Australia lost interest in launching rockets when ELDO moved.
An American company was interested in building a launch facility in Australia. The plans never came to fruition.
Australia is interested in space science. There was some doubt about whether the Australian Space Agency would be able to carry out their own launches.
It's clear that we will. The prime minister said the launches were a project to bring together global and local industry to take Australia's space sector into a new era.
Australia joined the Artemis program to return humans to the moon and on to Mars. NASA created the Artemis Accords to create a safe and transparent environment which facilitates exploration, science, and commercial activities for all of humanity.
The Northern Territory launch would further cement our reputation as a nation that global space players want to do business with.
Australia's re-emergence as a serious space operator is at stake with this move.
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