The latest space agency forum in the Asia-Pacific region is heading to Western Australia, with Perth announced as the host country for the 30th annual session of the Asia-Pacific Regional Space Agency Forum (APRSAF-30).
The event is expected to attract over 500 attendees from more than 40 countries, including representatives of international space agencies, private industries, government and research organisations.
APRSAF-30 will be hosted by the Department of Jobs, Tourism, Science and Innovation (JTSI) and Business Events Perth.
The Australian Space Agency itself has been an active participant of APRSAF and specifically nominated Perth to host the event.
Founded in 1993, APRSAF is an annual forum to enhance space activities and promote cooperation across the Asia-Pacific region. The forums themselves are jointly organised by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) in Japan, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and the host countries.
The 28th annual event of the APRSAF was recently hosted in Hanoi with the 29th annual to be held in Indonesia next year.
Follows major injection into the sector
The news comes as the WA space industry has gained significant momentum over the past few years, with the state government investing more than $40 million into the sector.
Areas of activity and capability include ground-based space communications, space situational awareness, Earth observation and insights. Also, the WA space sector is renowned for its world-leading remote operations, automation and robotics, along with emerging capabilities sin space mission operations, optical communications, satellite launch and development.
WA is home to more than 100 Australian and international organisations operating space and space-related services.
Deputy Premier and Minister for State Development, Jobs and Trade Roger Cook welcomed the news, noting that WA’s space sector is taking off rapidly and becoming increasingly recognised on the global stage.
“So it is a natural fit to host APRSAF-30 in Perth,” he said.
“WA has a track record of successfully supporting space missions, operations and services for more than 60 years, but it will be reaching new heights in 2023 and beyond.
“It is so exciting how much momentum we have in the WA space industry at the moment.
We look forward to bringing the APRSAF-30 to Perth, which will provide a platform to promote our space capabilities to the Asia-Pacific region, enhance international collaboration, and highlight opportunities for economic diversification.
Roger Cook
“Events like APRSAF-30 are WA’s front door for trade and investment. With attendees expected from more than 40 countries, it has the potential to not only provide a boost for the State’s space industry but also regional partnerships and local tourism.”
Enrico Palermo, Head of the Australian Space Agency, added that hosting APRSAF in 2024 is an opportunity for the state to further grow partnerships in the region.
“Space is critical to our national well-being and by working together with our partners in the Indo-Pacific we can develop capabilities that are important to our shared resilience and quality of life,” he said.
“Working together will also help us grow our respective space sectors, make them stronger, and achieve our space ambitions faster.”
Executive Secretariat of APRSAF, Akira Kosaka, JAXA International Relations Division, who recently visited WA, added that APRSAF contuies to evolve even after 28th annual sessions.
“We are very excited and looking forward to holding the first APRSAF in Perth after the establishment of the Australian Space Agency,” he said.
APRSAF is an open forum, with diverse participants from the government sector, research institutes and organisations. In recent years, it has functioned very actively as a forum for exchange with private industries. Working together with the Australian Space Agency and the Government of Western Australia, we would like to incorporate the dynamism of Australia’s space activities into APRSAF.
Akira Kosaka
