Australia could launch its own military satellites to observe military movement in Asia-Pacific 12802161

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Defence & Security News - Australia
 
Australia could launch its own military satellites to observe military movement in Asia-Pacific.
Australia is thinking of launching military satellites into space to observe military movement in the Asia-Pacific. Australian Defence Force is considering this bold initiative. Australia is ready to use money on enhanced satellite imagery capability, space awareness systems and radars. The naval communications station will carry a US space surveillance telescope as well. (Source Australia Network)
     
Australia is thinking of launching military satellites into space to observe military movement in the Asia-Pacific. Australian Defence Force is considering this bold initiative. Australia is ready to use money on enhanced satellite imagery capability, space awareness systems and radars. The naval communications station will carry a US space surveillance telescope as well. (Source Australia Network)
Military satellites provide U.S. armed forces with greater bandwidth to reliably and securely transmit critical data.
     
The recent Austrlian Defence White Paper, released last week by the Turnbull government, says that access to space intelligence will become increasingly important over coming years.

A series of studies would be conducted to evaluate the entirety of the matter to assist and enhance Australia’s satellite capabilities, says the Defence Force official.

The paper flags that Australia will spend an extra $3 to $4 billion on enhanced satellite imagery capability as well as up to another $2 billion on space situational awareness systems and radars out to 2039.

In 2013, the US launched a $900 million satellite paid for by Australia into space – part of a network used to beam heavy communications traffic, including images from drones.

A military satellite is an artificial satellite used for a military purpose. The most common missions are intelligence gathering, navigation and military communications. The first military satellites were photographic reconnaissance missions.

In the United States, research into satellite based weapons was initiated by President Dwight D. Eisenhower in the 1950s. In 1958 the United States initiated Project Defender to develop an anti-ICBM solution launched from satellites.