CANBERRA, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- The headquarters of the Australian Space Agency (ASA) has been officially opened in Adelaide on Wednesday.
Prime Minister (PM) Scott Morrison, South Australian Premier Steven Marshall and Minister for Industry Science and Technology Karen Andrews on Wednesday joined Megan Clark, the inaugural head of the ASA, to formally open Space HQ.
The ASA was established in 2018 with the goal of tripling the annual value of Australia's space industry to 12 billion Australian dollars (8.02 billion U.S. dollars) and creating 20,000 new jobs by 2030.
The government has invested approximately 700 million Australian dollars (468.3 million U.S. dollars) in Australia's first-ever national space agency.
"The Australian Space Agency is central to my government's vision to secure more jobs and a larger share of the growing space economy," Morrison said on Wednesday.
"Space captures the imagination and inspires us all. It develops new technologies that improve life on earth and it offers huge economic and job opportunities."
Having opened its headquarters, the ASA is aiming to open its Mission Control and Space Discovery Centre to the public next year.
The center will offer visitors the opportunity to interact with astronauts on board the International Space Station (ISS) while the discovery center will act as an interactive educational facility.
South Australia was chosen as the headquarters of the ASA in December 2018, defeating bids from Canberra, Western Australia and New South Wales.
Marshall said the area is now the nation's space capital, where young people from across the state have the opportunity to seize incredible jobs across the sector.
"Young South Australians can look up at the stars and genuinely find opportunities right here in this state to pursue their dreams."
