ARC funding supports UNSW academics participating in cooperative national and international facilities and partnering with business, industry and the community.
From solar sail-powered spacecraft, to laser communications, to asteroid detection systems, there is no shortage of Australian ideas and expertise to help NASA explore the Moon and Mars.
New jobs and investment for Australia's growing space industry are promised with the backing of the new space agency. It's hoped that all states and territories will benefit from a national approach.
The announcement that Australia will finally create its own space agency has opened the door for a long-held dream for many: a home-grown Australian astronaut.
Protecting Australia's water by using satellites to collect local data is just one practical argument supporting the nation's need for a space agency, writes Andrew Dempster.
