A report by Deloitte Access Economics shows Queensland is well-placed competitively and geographically to develop a space industry. This development could bring up to $6 billion in revenue for the state by 2036.
Critical space infrastructure for Queensland holds the potential to improve analytics, mapping and data technology, with applications across the resources, agriculture and telecommunications sectors.
Queensland Minister for State Development, Manufacturing, Infrastructure and Planning, Cameron Dick, said the report Sky is not the limit: Building Queensland’s space economy shows the industry in Queensland was already globally competitive in specialist areas and growing at a rate of around seven per cent per annum.
“Queensland’s space industry employs more than 2000 full-time positions and generates $760 million per year through core industry services like satellite communications,” Mr Dick said.
Deloitte’s modelling estimates investment in critical space infrastructure has the potential to add around $82 million to the Queensland economy over the period 2019-2036.
In 2018 the Queensland Government launched the Queensland Aerospace 10-Year Roadmap and Action Plan to capitalise on aerospace opportunities.
As part of this plan, it commissioned Deloitte Access Economics to deliver a report on Queensland’s space industry capabilities and to model potential economic growth.
The report provides an economic foundation from which government can form a policy position on the development of the state’s space industry.
The Queensland Government has been encouraging the development of Queensland’s space industry.
“In November last year, we were invited by Black Sky Aerospace to launch a rocket that climbed to an altitude of 5200m and reached 1.2 times the speed of sound, in what was Australia’s first commercial launch,” Mr Dick said.
“We are taking the lead in supporting development of the space sector in our state, and together with Queensland businesses we will continue to grow and strengthen our space industry capabilities.”
Mr Dick said that Queensland universities and companies are at the forefront of space research and technology, including NASA’s mission to identify inhabitable planets beyond our solar system, world leading hypersonic rocket development, the design and manufacture of advanced composite materials, and in new satellite launch and communications technologies.
“Queensland is already the home to Australia’s vehicle and aviation manufacturing sectors,” he said.
“With our advanced manufacturing supply chain and world-leading research programs, it makes sense for Queensland to also be the home of Australia’s space manufacturing industry.”
In order to capitalise on these opportunities, Mr Dick said the Queensland Government will explore strategies to further assist companies and universities and coordinate opportunities to grow the state’s space industry.
“The report states the space industry in Queensland from research through to design, manufacturing and operating systems could add between 4000 and 6000 jobs within the next two decades and $3.5 billion to $6 billion to the economy.”
