Image courtesy of ASA.
The Australian Space Agency has confirmed the federal government has reached an in-principle agreement with the United States on a Technology Safeguards Agreement (TSA).
Announced by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and US President Joe Biden on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in Japan, the TSA will allow for the transfer of US space technology, including rockets and satellites, to be launched from Australia.
As the leaders’ statement between the PM and President Biden said on space:
“Space collaboration is a rich opportunity to build high-skilled, well-paying jobs and increase investment between our countries. Australia and the United States have reached agreement in principle, subject to final domestic authorisations, on the Technology Safeguards Agreement, to allow for the controlled transfer of sensitive US launch technology and data while protecting US technology consistent with US non proliferation policy, the Missile Technology Control Regime and US export controls.
As founding signatories to the Artemis Accords, and building on more than 60 years of cooperation in lunar exploration, we intend to establish a new Australia-based ground station supporting NASA’s Artemis program that will provide near-continuous communications support to lunar missions.”
The TSA will create commercial opportunities for our launch sector and sends a signal to the global market that Australia is ‘open for launch’.
Australia and the US have worked closely together in negotiating this framework to provide the required protections for the US whilst acknowledging the commercial ambitions of Australia’s developing launch sector.
