❓ The Minister for Science outlines the McGowan government's plan to leverage WA's remote operations expertise for the NASA Moon to Mars project, highlighting potential job creation and economic benefits. The answer emphasizes WA's historical role in space exploration and the establishment of AROSE headquarters in WA.
AnsweredQoN 64Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
AUSTRALIAN REMOTE OPERATIONS FOR SPACE AND EARTH
64. Ms J.J. SHAW to the Minister for Science:
I refer to the McGowan Labor government's commitment
to diversifying the WA economy, demonstrated by its success in securing Perth
as the headquarters for the Australian Remote Operations for Space and Earth.
(1) Can the
minister update the house on how this will ensure that WA is a global leader
when it comes to remote operations in space?
(2) Can the minister outline to the house how this —
The SPEAKER : Member for Moore!
Ms J.J. SHAW : — will help further drive the WA
economy and create more local jobs?
64. Ms J.J. SHAW to the Minister for Science:
I refer to the McGowan Labor government's commitment
to diversifying the WA economy, demonstrated by its success in securing Perth
as the headquarters for the Australian Remote Operations for Space and Earth.
(1) Can the
minister update the house on how this will ensure that WA is a global leader
when it comes to remote operations in space?
(2) Can the minister outline to the house how this —
The SPEAKER : Member for Moore!
Ms J.J. SHAW : — will help further drive the WA
economy and create more local jobs?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2)
I thank the member for Swan Hills for her keen interest in space and for that
question. Members may not be aware but the Americans have set themselves a timetable
of putting a person back on the moon by 2024. That is not very far away. The
Americans intend to establish a permanent base on the moon and to use that base
as a staging point to then go on to Mars. In order to achieve that project, the
Americans intend to spend hundreds of billions of dollars—hundreds of
billions of dollars. We have an opportunity in Western Australia to be part of
the Australian–NASA Moon to Mars partnership. We are world leaders in
remote operations. Through our activities in the mining industry in the Pilbara
and off the coast of Western Australia in the oil and gas industry, we are
recognised as world leaders in remote operations. It goes without saying, and
people understand, that if we are going to operate machinery and the like on
Mars or the moon, remote operations are crucial to what we are going to do. We
have an opportunity to have Western Australian industry people, who are experts
in remote operations, participate in that moon to Mars project.
The Australian Space Agency has
recognised Western Australian expertise in this area and has supported our
efforts to establish an industry consortium called Australian Remote Operations
for Space and Earth—AROSE. Yesterday, we announced that the
headquarters of that national entity would be here in Western Australia. The
foundation partners, along with the state government, are Woodside, Rio Tinto,
Curtin University, the University of Western Australia, Fugro Ltd and Nova
Systems. As foundation partners, the purpose
of AROSE is to really bring the expertise that we have on remote operations and
allow Western Australian businesses
to engage with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's moon to Mars project. The state government has committed $1.5 million to that
project over the next two years. The modelling that has been done by PwC
Australia indicates that that project alone can deliver over 1 500 jobs to Western
Australia over the next five years.
It was great yesterday to meet
Colonel Pam Melroy. She is one of the few women to have had the honour of
piloting one of the space shuttles. She did that on a number of occasions. She
has also visited the International Space Station on a number of occasions. To
have her there as part of the launch really just shows what is possible. It is
great to have someone like her, obviously a well-known female astronaut, to be
an example to the young women in Western Australia as to what is possible.
What people do not know is that Western
Australia played a key role in the Apollo missions. Last year was the fiftieth
anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing. At Carnarvon, we had the largest
tracking station outside the United States. Over 200 staff were employed at
Carnarvon. They were television technicians and telephonists, who all retrained
to be part of the space race. We were an essential part of the Apollo mission.
As Western Australians, we can now play a significant role in NASA's
project to the moon and then on to Mars, and in doing so we can deliver a significant
boost to the Western Australian economy.
I thank the member for Swan Hills for her keen interest in space and for that
question. Members may not be aware but the Americans have set themselves a timetable
of putting a person back on the moon by 2024. That is not very far away. The
Americans intend to establish a permanent base on the moon and to use that base
as a staging point to then go on to Mars. In order to achieve that project, the
Americans intend to spend hundreds of billions of dollars—hundreds of
billions of dollars. We have an opportunity in Western Australia to be part of
the Australian–NASA Moon to Mars partnership. We are world leaders in
remote operations. Through our activities in the mining industry in the Pilbara
and off the coast of Western Australia in the oil and gas industry, we are
recognised as world leaders in remote operations. It goes without saying, and
people understand, that if we are going to operate machinery and the like on
Mars or the moon, remote operations are crucial to what we are going to do. We
have an opportunity to have Western Australian industry people, who are experts
in remote operations, participate in that moon to Mars project.
The Australian Space Agency has
recognised Western Australian expertise in this area and has supported our
efforts to establish an industry consortium called Australian Remote Operations
for Space and Earth—AROSE. Yesterday, we announced that the
headquarters of that national entity would be here in Western Australia. The
foundation partners, along with the state government, are Woodside, Rio Tinto,
Curtin University, the University of Western Australia, Fugro Ltd and Nova
Systems. As foundation partners, the purpose
of AROSE is to really bring the expertise that we have on remote operations and
allow Western Australian businesses
to engage with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's moon to Mars project. The state government has committed $1.5 million to that
project over the next two years. The modelling that has been done by PwC
Australia indicates that that project alone can deliver over 1 500 jobs to Western
Australia over the next five years.
It was great yesterday to meet
Colonel Pam Melroy. She is one of the few women to have had the honour of
piloting one of the space shuttles. She did that on a number of occasions. She
has also visited the International Space Station on a number of occasions. To
have her there as part of the launch really just shows what is possible. It is
great to have someone like her, obviously a well-known female astronaut, to be
an example to the young women in Western Australia as to what is possible.
What people do not know is that Western
Australia played a key role in the Apollo missions. Last year was the fiftieth
anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing. At Carnarvon, we had the largest
tracking station outside the United States. Over 200 staff were employed at
Carnarvon. They were television technicians and telephonists, who all retrained
to be part of the space race. We were an essential part of the Apollo mission.
As Western Australians, we can now play a significant role in NASA's
project to the moon and then on to Mars, and in doing so we can deliver a significant
boost to the Western Australian economy.
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