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 50k–250k (does not include cost for the fund)

• Includes: partnership setup, fund design and governance, technical assistance, monitoring & evaluation, administrative support.

Timeframe:

• Overall: 24–48 mo

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

Pros:

• Shared Infrastructure Efficiency - Reduces duplication of efforts and costs by co-developing satellite systems and ground stations that serve multiple nations.

• Capacity Building - Enables nations to develop local expertise in space science technologies through knowledge transfer, training, and infrastructure development.

Considerations:

• Conflicting National Priorities - Reflects how divergent national interests and priorities may lead to conflicts.

• Challenging Timeline Coordination - Involves coordinating timelines across nations, which can be challenging and time-consuming.

• Asymmetry in Capabilities and Influence - The imbalance in technological and financial power between the nations may lead to dependency or unequal benefits