Synopsis
The report examines the evolution of the Australia-US defence space relationship and how Australia has balanced desires for self-reliance with reliance on the US as an ally. Key points:
- The US is the dominant player in space and Australia has historically leveraged access to US space capabilities due to its geography. This inertia continues to shape the relationship.
- In the last 10 years, Australia has started to prioritize space in defence but is still articulating its defence space needs. This will help determine how to best leverage the US alliance.
- The US has opened its space capabilities to allies, presenting opportunities for Australia beyond just access, such as burden-sharing and building resilience.
- Australia can draw lessons from the spectrum of past cooperation with the US, from legacy arrangements to new partnerships that leverage US capabilities as Australia builds its own.
- As Australia progresses its civil and military space capabilities, it must balance sovereign capability needs with opportunities to collaborate with the US and others based on costs.
- Defence articulated a shift from accessing specific US capabilities to articulating broader defence space goals, enabling new cooperation avenues that build Australia’s capability while utilizing the alliance.
In summary, the report examines how Australia can balance developing its own sovereign space capabilities with the benefits and inertia of its defence space relationship with the US. This includes assessing past models of cooperation and articulating its defence space needs within the context of the alliance.
