Mainstream media outlets are reporting this morning that the federal government has cancelled the $1.2 billion National Space Mission for Earth Observation (NSMEO), for “budget repair” purposes. Reportedly, Australia will now have to continue to rely upon overseas partners for access to Earth observation data. The whole idea of the NSMEO was to reduce sovereign risk by providing Australia with its own remote sensing capabilities. An Australian Academy of Science report published in early 2022 called for a 10-year plan to correct the situation, which would include “investment in a home-grown Earth observation satellite program, which would design, build, launch and operate the satellites and the sensors on-board used to collect a wide range of data types”.
