Taking place on 17–18 June 2026, the two-day summit boasts a packed agenda spanning sovereign manufacturing, AUKUS alliances, hypersonics, artificial intelligence, and the commercial frontiers of human spaceflight.
The head of the Australian Space Agency, Enrico Palermo, will set the strategic tone with an opening address on Day 1, and from there, the program leaves no corner of the industry unexplored.
The urgency is real.
Steve Kuper, Lead - Defence & Aerospace at Momentum Media, said: “The decisions made by Australian industry and government right now will determine whether this country becomes a serious space power or a spectator nation and the 2026 Australian Space Summit is central to that.”
As global defence demands rise, sovereign capability has become a national priority, and while Australia’s space manufacturing sector is maturing, scaling local manufacturing, securing critical inputs and strengthening SME pathways remain a critical challenge.
The summit’s opening sessions tackle this head-on: how do we get Australian industry into the supply chain before the window closes?
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The speaker line-up reads like a who’s who of the global space establishment. Ronald Caton, Space Security and International Partnerships Mission Area Lead at the US Air Force Research Laboratory, will outline key opportunities for collaboration and international engagement across the space domain, while Major General Gregory Novak AM, Commander of Defence Space Command, takes to the main stage on Day 2.
Kuper added: “From hypersonics to human spaceflight, from AUKUS to earth observation, the breadth of what’s on the table at this summit reflects just how much is at stake for Australia’s future in the global space economy.”
The European Space Agency’s Dr Marie Le Pellec will deliver a keynote on space sustainability, and polar explorer and astronaut Eric Philips OAM rounds out a remarkable closing program.
Perhaps the summit’s most provocative session asks whether Australia should leverage astronaut Katherine Bennell-Pegg’s potential ESA mission to turbocharge sovereign capability and workforce development.
The panel aims to move beyond inspiration and provide attendees with a practical, cross-sector call to action, because this is not simply about sending an astronaut to space. It is about whether Australia intends to participate in the next generation of the global space economy or watch it from the sidelines.
Commercial delegates will find plenty of substance too, with dedicated sessions on investment and market access, legal and regulatory frameworks, dual-use defence technology, and building the diverse talent pipelines the sector desperately needs.
“Australia’s geography, our alliances, and our technical talent have positioned us perfectly for this moment, but opportunity doesn’t wait. The time to get serious about space is now,” Kuper said.
Two days. One agenda. Zero excuses.
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