The national research agency also touted that the country is at an advantage because it lacks ‘baggage’.
The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) has advised the Standing Committee of Industry, Innovation, Science and Resources, as part of its inquiry into developing Australia’s space industry that there are warranted reasons for Australia, to have its own national space capability. Fronting the committee on Wednesday, CSRIO executive director of digital, national facilities and collections David Williams said CSIRO’s advice is that if Australia wants access to timely data, it would be only possible if the country owned its own satellites. “The way to look at it is if you have applications that demand specific timely data or ephemeral data as you’re developing the outcome and you don’t own the satellite, it can be very difficult to get the satellite to switch on and off at the time you want to over the location you need it because there’s competition slots,” he said. “For example, geological mapping doesn’t change that often, so you have less need for timely information. But for flooding, drought disasters, timely information is everything. “Bushfire monitoring, for example, if you don’t have real-time access to data, you can’t do it from satellites.
