Like any modern military, the Australian Defence Force is reliant upon space capabilities to conduct global, connected and precise military operations. Indeed, space is critical to many aspects of our modern lives and national security, as digital signals to/from space support everything from navigation and communication to entertainment and financial transactions. The 2016 Defence White Paper recognises this reliance and the need to better understand this critical operating environment; allocating $1 - $2 billion for Space Situational Awareness capabilities over the period 2018 – 2033 and the greatest ever commitment to space capabilities overall.
This presentation will consider the ways Defence uses and operates in space, some of the current projects seeking to improve and assure our access to space capabilities, and some of the entities involved in this high-technology pursuit. Finally, WGCDR Henry discuss the Australian Space Agency, the Australian Civil Space Strategy, and the ways the Agency and Defence might help each other in engaging and growing Australia’s space industry.
Date: Thursday 10 October in the .
Time: 11.00am - 12.00pm
Venue: Ngunnawal Theatre, Russell Offices
Speaker Biography
Wing Commander Steven Henry is the Deputy Director Surveillance of Space, within the Air Force Headquarters Directorate of Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance, Electronic Warfare, and Space. He has served as a Crew Commander and Chief Instructor on the US Space Based Infrared System; as an Operations Analyst for Overhead Persistent Infrared capabilities at DST Group; and he founded the Joint Space Operations Cell at HQ Joint Operations Command, which has evolved into the Australian Space Operations Centre today. During his posting to the Pentagon in 2016 – 2017 he assisted in the development of space policy and strategy for the Secretary of the US Air Force, focused on Space Situational Awareness and Space Traffic Management. In his current role, Wing Commander Henry manages ADF Space Situational Awareness capability development. He is also supports a number of external interactions, including industry engagement, coordination of RAAF sponsored Science and Technology projects and research agreements, and is the RAAF Liaison Officer to the Australian Space Agency.