Australian Government Space Portal

During the heyday of rocketry research in the 1960s Australia was the seventh nation to launch a satellite, WRESAT, into orbit, and the third from its own soil. The joint British-Australian Blue Streak program to develop Intercontinental ballistic missiles ended in the late 1960s. Around the same time the European Launcher Development Organisation (ELDO) was established to develop a European satellite launch vehicle. Woomera, Australia, was chosen as the launch site for the test vehicles. Australia was granted status as the only non-European member of ELDO (one of the precursors to the European Space Agency) in return for providing the launch facilities. A series of successful launches was conducted from 1964 to 1970 with the aim of reaching orbit and eventually orbiting an operational satellite. The final launch attempt of ELDO's Europa 1 launch vehicle took place at Woomera on 12 June 1970 however the satellite failed to reach orbit.
 
The Australian Government Space Portal contains information on the Australian Government's space-related activities and the Australian space sector, as well as links to space-related research organisations, events and our international partners. The Australian Government engages in space-related activities to support national strategic, economic and social objectives. These activities are administered by a range of Government agencies, with the Department of Industry, via the Space Coordination Office, carrying prime responsibility for civil space issues.