Premier Steven Marshall will today officially launch the sixth South Australian Space Forum in Adelaide, another clear sign of the State Liberal Government’s ongoing commitment to the growing space industry.

The forum is expected to attract nearly 500 attendees, a strong indication of the momentum and interest behind South Australia’s growing space industry.

Premier Steven Marshall said South Australia’s proud history of space projects and strong advanced manufacturing and technology skills base make it ideally placed to play a leading role in the space industry.

“The State Liberal Government is unequivocally committed to ensuring this state is a prominent player in the space industry nationally and internationally, and I’ll be speaking more about that today” said Premier Marshall.

“Since being elected to government in March, we have made it a priority to advance our case for securing the Australian Space Agency – which I think has sent a powerful message to the rest of the world that we are serious about space.

“In South Australia, we understand the importance of space as a source of inspiration and wonder for our young, aspiring engineers and scientists, as well as an enabler of future economic growth.”

The 6th South Australia Space Forum, hosted by the South Australian Space Industry Centre (SASIC) and the Space Industry Association of Australia (SIAA) will focus on national space policy and establish a public dialogue between potential users and providers of space technology.

SASIC Chief Executive Richard Price said the forum provides a fantastic platform for relationship building and will strengthen the dialogue between space technology providers and end users.

“We are collaborating on a national level with both the Australian Space Agency and the Space Industry Association of Australia to support this ever-growing forum,” he said.

“Our space community has highlighted the mining, agriculture and construction sectors as priority growth areas which will benefit from growth opportunities through advancements in space technology.

“This forum is the perfect opportunity for our space industry to better understand the needs of these sectors and explore new opportunities.”

Co-founder and President of Doblin Inc, an innovation strategy firm, Larry Keeley will head a strong line-up of key speakers, including Space Industry Association of Australia Chairman Michael Davis, Nova Group Director Peter Nikoloff, Andy Koronios from University of South Australia and SASIC Director Nicola Sasanelli AM.

For the first time, the forum will also include an exhibition area where Australian space companies, associations, private consultancies and research organisations will showcase the latest in space technology.

The forum will feature a full day of presentations and expert panels, with a focus on stimulating ideas, sharing information about emerging technologies and discussing industry trends