Getting the word out about the UK – Australia Space Bridge

By Andrew Curran, Correspondent, Australia in Space

Over two years after it was established, Josh Broom, head of space at the UK's Department for Business and Trade, admits the first questions he often gets asked about the UK – Australia Space Bridge program is, what is it, and how can entities get involved?

Getting the word out about the Space Bridge, a cooperation framework signed in February 2021 designed to speed up the growth of the UK and Australian space sectors, is a crucial goal for Broom and his Australian counterpart, Dan O'Toole.

Broom's admission that the Space Bridge needs to be better at promotion and determining that it would do so was among a range of Space Bridge goals the UK space boss recently outlined at the 2023 Australian International Air Show at Avalon.

"I think if you were to google the UK – Australia Space Bridge, the only thing you can find is the original announcement from two and a half years ago. One of the key things we want to do over the next 12 months and the future is to address that and bring a real sense of identity, purpose, and branding to the Space Bridge."

The Department for Business and Trade and Australia's trade agency, Austrade, are behind the Space Bridge. Since its inception, both countries have seen changes in their heads of government, but both countries have remained financially and politically committed to the space sector and the Space Bridge program.

Broom says despite its low profile, Space Bridge is proving successful. In a wide-ranging discussion, he pointed to Airbus, Goonhilly, CGI, HEO Robotics, and Spire Global as examples of space businesses now working together due to the Space Bridge program. He says that in conjunction with other UK-based research centres, the Space Bridge has funded five projects ranging from earth observation, agritech, space communications, and quantum technologies. "We're hoping to build on those as long-term partnerships and research that both UK and Australia are doing," he said.

But Broom clearly thinks the Space Bridge program needs to maximize its potential. Most of the solutions he posed are relatively easy fixes. He believes bringing in an external media partner would help get the word out about Space Bridge.

"We need to be better at bringing together and communicating coherently. For example, what kind of UKAustralia events are taking place that Space Bridge and our organizations are supporting and will be present at? When are the trade missions that we're planning?"

UK space trade mission - visiting RMIT University

"We also want to start promoting job opportunities and internships between the two sectors, almost a UK - Australia Space Bridge jobs board. We know that securing skills is a shared challenge. But as part of the Space Bridge, we're very clear that we do not want to start stealing from each other's skill sets. We need to be complementary."

Broom and O'Toole helped design the Space Bridge last decade and are now key point people for the program within their respective governments. O'Toole says he's been focused on everything from providing simple, pragmatic advice to UK start-up space companies looking to do business in Australia to facilitating talks with the top tiers of government.

UK High Commissioner to Australia, Ukrainian Ambassador to Australia, Space Centre Australia - at Avalon

"Last year, we had sort of an AUKUS level discussion with industry with UK Space Command and Defence Space Command here and Space Force in Colorado. There have been some high-level discussions about how they can work together," he said.

The ability of the Space Bridge program to promote and support closer space cooperation between the UK and Australia depends on funding. The UK Space Agency and Australian Space Agency are finalizing their budgets. "We know that we're looking at new funding," said Broom. He was unable to provide specific details, but on the UK side, its space agency, in conjunction with the European Space Agency, is launching two new bilateral funds worth approximately GBP40 million. One focuses on scientific exploration, while the second focuses on strategic partnerships that help improve trade and export opportunities. That falls nicely within the Space Bridge program's remit.

Space Bridge panel discussion at Avalon - (LtoR) Dr Barbara Ghinelli, Dan O'Toole, Dr Sarah-Jane Gill, Josh Broom, Dr Tony Parsons

Broom says something the Space Bridge program can do is make information on those programs and their funding easily accessible, as well as saying when funding will become available and how to access it.

"We want to make sure that as part of our external engagement, we have a single front door for any and all questions about what Space Bridge is, how to get involved, and when things are happening. Hopefully, a new online portal will help address that. We can then help (businesses) identify particular opportunities that may not be readily available or obvious."

"We also want to bring the available commercial contracts in our two sectors together in one single place. If you're a company operating in either market, there can be a single compiled list of the available contracts that have been tendered out. We want a single portal in which those available commercial contracts are open to UK and Australian companies. We want to ensure everyone has all the information they need about space."

Presentation from SmartSat CRC's CEO Professor Andy Koronios

Touching on O'Toole's comments about high-level talks, Broom is keen to increase the Space Bridge's cooperation with the defence space sector, which until recently had not been extensive. That's now changing, and the program is starting to actively engage with the Royal Air Force and Royal Australian Air Force, as well as the various defence space command entities.

On a less complex level, Broom thinks something as simple as appointing a Space Bridge Ambassador could help promote the program. "We're still brainstorming these ideas," he says.

Broom knows he is working in a busy media environment with scores of competing frameworks and agencies all jostling to get the word about their mission out into the marketplace. But the UK space boss and his Australian offsider clearly believe that making more people aware of the UK – Australia Space Bridge is more about a series of nips and tucks rather than reinventing the wheel.