Explained: What will Australia’s new Defence Space Command Agency do?

Australian Defence Minister Peter Dutton said the agency would create the country’s place in space. He further said that many countries think of space as their territory for them to take, rather than sharing it, adding that space should not become “a new realm for conflict” and urged Australian allies to push for “a safe, stable and secure space domain”.

What will be the function of the Defence Space Command Agency?

The Defence Space Command was set up on January 18, 2022, for Australia to achieve strategic space ambitions and “lead the effort to assure Australia’s access to space”.

“Defence Space Command brings members of Air Force, Army, Navy and the Australian Public Service together under an integrated headquarters reporting to the Chief of Air Force, as the Space Domain Lead.”

The agency will come under the Air Force. It will help Australia in developing and advocating space-specific priorities within the government, industry, allies and even international partners.

The agency will enable Australia in providing training to people to become space specialists, help it conduct strategic space planning, and be able to be a part of any developments regarding the refinement of space policy.

Australia will be setting scientific and space priorities with the agency in place and will be working towards creating an efficient space architecture.

All the operations of the agency – including design, construction, maintenance – will be within the purview of the standards and limitations of the Defence Ministry.

A statement by the Australian Defence Ministry states that access to space is imperative for Australia’s security.

“Space is becoming more congested, contested and competitive with over 7500 satellites currently orbiting the Earth, and thousands more being launched every year… We are enhancing our sovereign capabilities so that Australian forces will be able to control what we see and when we see it. This is crucial to the safety and capability of our forces and will ensure we can efficiently and effectively respond when required.”

The government is planning to invest a total of AUD 7 billion over the next 10 years in order for the Australian Defence Force to become a contributor to space instead of just being a consumer, which it currently is. It will invest in upgrading and supporting “existing and future satellite communications systems, including communications satellites and ground control stations that will be under sovereign Australian control”.

The Australian government plans to triple the size of its space sector by 2030.

Who is Air Vice-Marshall Catherine Roberts?

Air Vice-Marshall Catherine Roberts will be the Defence Space Commander. Roberts joined the Air Force in 1983 at the Aircraft Research and Development Unit as an aerospace engineering specialist. Since then, Roberts has served in 20 different roles in the Australian Air Force.

She pursued an inaugural course at Joint Command and Staff College in 2001 and then further pursued a degree in International Relations and Strategy from the Royal College of Defence Studies in 2011.

Among the roles held by Roberts were Logistics Command, Senior Engineering Officer, Lead-In Fighter Project of the UK Resident Team, Head of Aerospace System Division and Head of Air Force Capability.

Roberts has spent a significant part of her career being posted in the UK. She was appointed as Assistant Air Force Advisor in London in 2005 and Tactical Fighter Systems Program Office in 2007.

Newsletter | Click to get the day’s best explainers in your inbox

As per the Defence Ministry, “Roberts is a Fellow of Engineers Australia, Member of the Australian InMinistrystitute of Company Directors and the Australian Space Agency Advisory Group Defence representative.”

Roberts has also been featured in AFR 100 Women of Influence in 2013 and in 2014 received the Aviation/Aerospace Australia Leadership Award.