Why we’re creating Australia’s answer to NASA (it’s not all about going to space)

Australia is set to fund its own NASA.

Next week’s federal budget will include $50 million to establish an Australian space agency.

Astronomer Brad Tucker from the Australian National University told Ross and John the new agency would also need funding from the private sector.

He said the agency was about much more than heading into space.

“The idea is that everything we do in our lives is space-based,” he said

“Right now people are hearing us (on the radio) because of space.

“Everything from how you travel to even how you buy you milk is all regulated by space infrastructure.

“We need to be doing our own, we need to be inventive, we need to have regulations and policies to do it.”

Click PLAY to hear more of Brad Tucker’s 

“This literally is jobs in Australia not just for people like me but electricians, machinists, and money people,” he said.

“It’s not only building things like satellites … it will be looking at how to put people in space.