In an announcement already supernova-signalled the feds will establish a national space agency. Back in April, Industry Minister Arthur Sinodinos said he was thinking about it and in July he asked former CSIRO chief Megan Clark and colleagues to consider the “the most effective institutional arrangements.” And lo, yesterday acting Industry Minister Michaelia Cash announced the government is committed to “establishing a national space agency.” Dr Clark’s review will now work on a charter for the agency, with a plan due in March.

Labor was faster off the launch pad yesterday, with Innovation spokesman Kim Carr announcing around 6am that Labor in government will establish a space agency.

The bipartisan support for space went down well, with universities across the country explaining how they are all set to send Australia rocketing up the Buzz Lightyear research rankings. ANU and UNSW Canberra were quick to announce they would cooperate on satellites and “space instruments”,  the University of South Australia will focus satellite research on the new agency’s work. UNSW also urged us to “get ready for an Australian astronaut”, although why the country should put a person into space instead of cubesats is not clear.