Moving up in Down Under

摘要

With the development of the Asia Pacific Space Centre (APSC) underway, Australia expects the US$408 million project to lead the country into the high prized launch market, and capture between ten and 20 per cent of the estimated $20.4 billion turnover. Asia-Pacific Satellite reports. In june 2001, the Australian Minister for Industry, Science and Resources, Senator Nick Minchin, and Minister for Regional Services, Territories and Local Government, Senator Ian MacDonald, announced the government's decision to provide up to US$51 million to pave the way for the Asia Pacific Space Centre (APSC) to establish a spaceport on Christmas Island in the Indian Ocean. The investment will support the project through the Strategic Investment Incentives programme. This includes the provision of common use infrastructure on Christmas Island, in the form of an upgrade to the airport, a new port and road, and assistance with spaceport infrastructure such as ground station facilities for telemetry and tracking.