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The Australian Space Summit & Exhibition will be held over two days with a jam-packed program offering unparalleled access to expertise spanning space, government, defence, SME and more.
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Hosted with support of principal partner Space Centre Australia, the prestigious multi-day summit will feature two main stages focusing on the space and defence industries. There will be over 70 speakers who will engage with an expected audience of more than 1,000 space enthusiasts.
Now in its fourth year, the summit will take place on Tuesday, 27 May, and Wednesday, 28 May 2025, at ICC Sydney.
Tickets can be purchased here. To learn more about the Australian Space Summit & Exhibition, visit the summit website.
The event will unite an unparalleled line-up of local and international thought leaders to explore critical funding challenges and highlight emerging opportunities for international collaboration.
British-Australian astronomer Alan Duffy will assume emcee duties, while former Australian prime minister Scott Morrison will headline the summit.
With the rapid evolution of the space industry, the Australian Space Summit & Exhibition allows professionals to experience the innovations, partnerships and opportunities propelling Australia’s space exploration.
Spanning two days, sessions will delve into topics around emerging business opportunities, groundbreaking innovations and real-world applications shaping the future of the industry.
Discussions will explore how the space sector can bolster its prominence across the country to become indispensable as a driving force in the broader economy.
The Australian Space Summit & Exhibition will provide an “always-on” exhibition run in tandem with the conference, which allows space enthusiasts to take in sessions at multiple stages and connect with exhibitors throughout the day.
Why attend?
Sessions cover the full spectrum of the space industry, from government and defence to SMEs and major industry players.
The summit will provide unparalleled access to networking opportunities among industry leaders and peers, with over 1,000 professionals expected to be in attendance. The summit will feature a dynamic range of sessions exploring critical topics in defence and space.
Speakers
Scott Morrison, former prime minister of Australia and non-executive group chairman of Space Centre Australia, will headline the summit.
Morrison, who recently joined a Washington-based security and defence think tank, aims to collaborate with SpaceX to achieve significant milestones in Australia’s launch frequency and space sector growth.
The Australian Space Summit & Exhibition will showcase an impressive line-up of speakers, including Lieutenant General Susan Coyle, AM, CSC, DSM of the Australian Army; James Palmer, founder and CEO of Space Centre Australia; Anntonette Dailey, adviser to industry on government space relations; and Michael Jones, Group CEO of Equatorial Launch Australia.
Sessions will cover a range of topics, with Dr Joni Sytsma, chief technology officer of the University of Southern Queensland’s iLAuNCH Program, leading discussions on dual-use innovation between space and defence. Meanwhile, Lisa Vitaris, MBA GAICD CompIEAust EngExec, interim CEO and director, will explore opportunities for growth in Australia’s space sector.
More speakers will be announced in the coming weeks – click here to view the full line-up.
Day one
The first day of the summit and exhibition will feature a captivating defence-focused track, where experts will discuss the future of military SATCOMs post-JP 9102, the importance of international partnerships for building autonomy, Australia’s hypersonic technology, and how AUKUS is reshaping the nation’s role in space.
Additionally, the summit will also feature a space track which will tackle key challenges and opportunities, including diversity in the sector, scaling Australia’s capabilities, inspiring and attracting talent, addressing space congestion, and safeguarding both humanity and space itself.
Day two
The second day will explore the intersection of defence and space, focusing on dual-use innovations, bolstering Australia’s defence supply chain, and collaborating on launch site development.
Key topics include leveraging mining expertise for aerospace advancements and the economic and environmental impact of space-generated energy.
In the space stream, sessions will address readiness for 2030’s Earth observation satellites, practical uses of observational data, boosting remote connectivity, and Australia’s contributions to deep space exploration.
Who should attend the summit?
Defence Connect encourages attendance from all organisations looking to connect with decision makers across the space industry, including, but not limited to defence, government, and space professionals, as well as academics and business owners.
Start-ups and established organisations in defence and beyond that are looking to break into the domestic and international supply chain will also benefit from attending the summit.
For more information, click here.
