Australia's Minister for Education and Training Simon Birmingham officially announced here on Monday that Australia will establish its own national space agency.

Speaking at the Opening Ceremony of the 2017 International Astronautical Congress (IAC) in Adelaide, Birmingham said that the decision will bring benefits to South Australia and Australia as a whole.

"I am truly excited by the potential this announcement will bring to Australia and South Australia, with opportunities to inspire a new generation to literally see the world as their universe and embrace the potential benefits of studying science and related disciplines," Birmingham said.

The space industry is worth 318 billion U.S. dollars annually globally and 3.1 billion U.S. dollars in Australia alone.

The government estimates that the creation of the agency could boost the industry's domestic value to 14 billion U.S. dollars by 2019.

Michaelia Cash, Australia's Acting Innovation and Science Minister said it was "crucial" that Australia be part of the industry's booming growth.

"The agency will be the anchor for our domestic coordination and the front door for our international engagement," Cash said.

"A national space agency will ensure we have a strategic long-term plan that supports the development and application of space technologies and grows our domestic space industry."

Details about the agency have not been announced but Birmingham said that Adelaide as the capital city of South Australia would benefit greatly.

Source:
courtesy of XINHUA NEWS AGENCY

by XINHUA NEWS AGENCY

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