Australia’s 2020 Defence Strategic Update (DSU2020) noted that the space domain is critical to warfighting effectiveness, delivery of real-time communications and situational awareness, flagging an AU$7bn investment in Australian Defence Force space capabilities over the next ten years. Nigel Pittaway examines the country’s ambitions and potential capabilities in a domain that is out of this world.

Among the investments to be made is the development of sovereign satellite capability, but before that can happen, the Australian government is seeking to develop sovereign space domain awareness (SDA) capabilities.