Space Angel wins A$1.75M grant to plan a Western Australia spaceport
What's the deal? Perth-based Space AngelDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → has been named recipient of Western Australia's Spaceport Establishment Support Grant, worth A$1.75 million. The company will match the funding to run site assessments for planning and regulatory approvals and to build a business case for proposed spaceport sites across the state.
Who's backing it? The Government of Western AustraliaDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → awarded the grant through an open and competitive process. It forms part of the Cook Government's A$2 million Made in WA election commitment to accelerate local space industry capability.
What's the endgame? Spaceports are facilities built to launch, receive, test or maintain spacecraft and rockets. In parallel with the grant, the government is running a feasibility study to identify additional spaceport locations across the state.
Why now? The government said the global space launch services market exceeds US$15 billion and is projected to grow 15% each year, framing the sector as a potential source of new investment and high-skilled jobs.
Science and Innovation Minister Stephen Dawson called the award “another important step” as the Cook Labor Government builds Western Australia's presence in the global space industry. He said a spaceport would help attract investment, support high-skilled jobs and create opportunities for Western Australian businesses.
The signal: The grant is larger than Space Angel's earlier A$40,000 grants and marks a concrete move by Western Australia to stake a claim in a fast-growing space-launch market before committing to a site.
Read more: Space and Defense
Image credit: NASA Goddard Photo and Video
