The Australia–New Zealand Collaborative Space Program funds research projects that help grow the space industries in both nations. Projects are chosen based on their potential to boost each nation’s space sector. The goal is to build scientific and technical skills that meet the needs of industry and users, while also addressing important environmental, economic, and social challenges in both nations.

Prerequisites:

• Identify and build relationships with international partners

• Lead agency & budget

• Procurement pathway

• Partner support as needed

Cost:

• Ballpark: USD 100K-1M

• Includes: bilateral or multilateral agreements, joint research projects, calls for proposals and administration

Timeframe:

• Overall: 24–48 mo

• Phase: partnership setup (6–12 mo), projects implementation (12–30 mo), evaluation (6–6 mo)

In the Australia–New Zealand Collaborative Space Program, 8 feasibility studies were funded with a fixed duration of 6 months. Selected studies then have up to 3 years to transition into longer-term Phase B collaborative research projects.

Pros:

• Financial Burden Reduction – Distributes project costs among nations, lowering the financial burden for each participant.

Considerations:

• Decision-Making Challenges - Complicates decision-making due to differing governance structures and strategic interests.

• Goal Misalignment Risk – Reflects the potential for diverging priorities among participating nations, which may hinder unified project execution.