Hon Karen Andrews announces Future Technologies funding for AROSE

The Morrison Government is backing a new technology project that harnesses opportunities from our deepest oceans to outer space. 

Minister for Industry, Science and Technology Karen Andrews said funding would be provided to support a new industry-led collaboration project through NERA.

The AROSE project will power the newly-formed Australian Remote Operations for Space and Earth (AROSE) consortium to map Australia's current technology capabilities and identify opportunities to position Australia as a future hub and exporter of remote operations technology solutions for space. 

The project will help leverage Australia's world-leading capabilities in remote operations, AI, machine learning and automation to create new markets and build scale between the energy resources sector and emerging global space industry. 

“These projects are examples of how Australia can lead the next decade and beyond in technology innovation by leveraging our industry knowledge and encouraging the exchange of ideas across sectors,” Minister Andrews said. 

“It proves that by getting industry to work together we can see our world-leading energy resources sector expand even further and take on new frontiers. 

“Space presents Australia with huge economic opportunities. These cross-sector opportunities will be essential if we’re to reach our goal of tripling the size of the space economy to $12 billion a year and an extra 20,000 jobs by 2030.” Said Minister Andrews. 

NERA CEO Miranda Taylor said, “Supporting cross-sector initiatives like AROSE is about ensuring the fast transfer of knowledge and seizing our opportunity to leverage Australia's world-leader capabilities in remote operations, robotics, automation and artificial intelligence.” 

“Through the collaboration of AROSE and NERA, we can lead the next decade and beyond of technology innovation to support the global space industry and enabling this exchange of ideas and capabilities to deliver back future prosperity for our industries here at home,” said Taylor. 

This AROSE venture will seek to understand where sectors have developed solutions and how to rapidly translate those to other remote operations end users to ultimately promote and enable future growth in Australia. 

AROSE Chair, Russell Potapinski shares “These technologies are critical to improving the productivity and safety of the energy resources sector, as well as developing transferable skills and technologies that can be of benefit to many other sectors of the Australian economy” 

“The $200,000 dollar grant from NERA’s Future Technologies Fund will help AROSE identify and showcase the organisations that either provide these technologies or can enhance their business through the use of these Australian innovations” 

“Additionally, this report can be used to showcase Australian organisations to the international community, enhancing export opportunities for our nation” said Potapinski. 

AROSE Director and former NASA Astronaut Colonel Pamela Melroy believes “As an astronaut I was an operator — I was an operator way out in the field — and I was deeply interested in technology solutions that had the ability to increase the productivity and reliability of our mission” 

“This project will pave the way in identifying developed remote operations solutions and translating them to other sectors, whilst addressing gaps in our current capability.” Colonel Melroy said. 

Western Australian Science Minister Dave Kelly said AROSE presents an opportunity to leverage Western Australia's world-class expertise to create an estimated 1,500 WA jobs in five years' time. The Western Australian Government is a founding partner of AROSE along with Woodside, Fugro, Nova Systems, Curtin University and The University of Western Australia. 

"The McGowan Government is seizing the opportunity to take part in the new generation space race to diversify the WA economy and create WA jobs," Minister Kelly said. 

"Last month, I announced $1.5 million to secure the headquarters of AROSE in Perth and I welcome the Commonwealth collaborating with us on this exciting project. 

"I look forward to working with my federal counterparts and industry to unlock more opportunities for Western Australia in this emerging sector." 

For further information, visit www.arose.org.au and to view the joint media release announced today by the Minister for Industry, Science and Technology, the Hon Karen Andrews MP please click here.