Sensing a change? : the re-launch of Australia's space policy and some possible legal implications

One of the more surprising revelations for space historians is the fact that a number of countries other than the two main space superpowers of the time" the United States and the Soviet Union" made significant pioneering contributions to the early development of humankind's endeavours in space. These include countries that are not now regarded as major space-faring nations. Australia was just such a pioneer and in fact has a rich heritage in space. Indeed, the initial seeds of a cogent, relevant, and competitive space policy for the country had been laid in the 1950s and 1960s. In subsequent years, however, Government support for, and interest in, a proactive national approach to space fell away, only to be briefly reignited in the late 1990s by the finalisation of national law premised on the (unrealistic and unfulfilled) prospect of Australia becoming a major player in the global launch services industry. This article discusses the evolution of Australia's national space policy, focussing particularly on these more recent developments, and assesses what tangible steps, both in terms of direct action and also in the development of more comprehensive and relevant national laws, must now be taken if Australia is to regain lost ground and secure continuous and assured access to vital space resources.