It was announced on 8 July that Australian researchers in industries such as agriculture and natural disaster management can apply to direct the Earth observation satellite NovaSAR-1 by accessing Australia’s share of the satellite, managed by CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency. This will mark the first time Australia has managed its own source of Earth observation data, contributing to the growth of the nation’s space industry.

It is understood that the satellite can take images of the Earth through all weather, including heavy cloud and smoke, offering a valuable data advantage to the many industries now harnessing the estimated $2.5 billion in economic benefits from the Earth observation sector.