Australia Needs Help To Face China’s Threat in Space

Security here on Earth is reliant on the security of a nation’s assets in space. This is as true for Australia as it is for the United States. The Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT University) released a report on October 29 warning of significant vulnerabilities within the Australian space sector that could impact the nation’s ability to respond in a crisis.

Australia’s Space Infrastructure is Vulnerable

RMIT University notes that Australia’s reliance on commercial and allies’ satellites has created policy and security challenges. Many satellites are dual-use, supporting both civilian sectors, like banking and farming, as well as military and intelligence operations. This arrangement, while economically efficient, complicated efforts to create unified cybersecurity requirements, as commercial satellite operators often prioritize profit and efficiency over robust security. Satellites shared between countries could also be potentially inaccessible to Australia in crises.

Moreover, RMIT University identified limited policy-based incentives for commercial-government engagement or mechanisms for information sharing regarding space threats. The report also found that Canberra has failed to develop a relevant workforce or spur commercial-government collaboration. While Australia has designated its space ecosystem as critical infrastructure, the nation lacks strong space programs at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels and should offer more incentives for space talent to remain in the country.

Rising Chinese Threats Underscore Urgency

Meanwhile, China is rapidly advancing its offensive space capabilities. According to U.S. Space Force intelligence, Chinese leadership likely sees counter-space operations as a method of deterring Washington and other countries from intervening in a regional conflict. Earlier this year, the U.S. military confirmed that China had attempted “dogfighting” maneuvers with its satellites to practice tracking and disabling U.S. space assets. Lt. Gen. Douglas Schiess, commander of U.S. Space Forces-Space, warned that China is rapidly building its space capability to enable attacks on U.S. maritime, land, and air forces from greater distances.

At the same time, Beijing’s surge in space-related investments and strategy of artificially depressing prices for satellites and space services to dominate strategic sectors directly threatens Australia and allied countries. Businesses may be enticed to use commercial Chinese satellite technology that is cheaper than Western alternatives but susceptible to potential Chinese espionage.

Enhancing Space Capabilities Should Be an Australian & AUKUS Priority

As space becomes more of a domain for competition and potential conflict, Canberra should heed RMIT University’s recommendations to strengthen national space infrastructure. The government should incentivize collaboration between the Australian Defence Force and the private space sector through formalized information-sharing networks and include relevant commercial entities in future space-related exercises. Canberra must also invest in space-related education and training, and standardize the Australian space workforce, similar to the standardization of their cyber workforce.

To jumpstart Australia’s sovereign space capabilities, policymakers in Canberra, London, and Washington should consider establishing space collaboration through AUKUS, a strategic partnership currently centered on nuclear submarines and emerging technology. An additional focus on space would strengthen deterrence against China; ensure allied interoperability; create opportunities for joint space investments and exercises; and provide additional trusted pathways for intelligence, workforce, and educational exchanges. Space operations are now at the core of military operations, from intelligence to surveillance to reconnaissance and targeting capabilities. If China deprives AUKUS members of space superiority, allied forces will be at a severe disadvantage on an increasingly volatile planet.

Emmerson Overell is a project coordinator at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD) for the Center on Cyber and Technology Innovation (CCTI). For more analysis from Emmerson and FDD, please subscribe HERE. Follow FDD on X @FDD and @FDD_CCTI. FDD is a Washington, DC-based, nonpartisan research institute focusing on national security and foreign policy.