SpaceX Considers Expanding Rocket Test Plan and Its Link with Australia

TapTechNews July 31, according to Reuters, SpaceX is considering expanding its rocket test program and is in discussions with the Australian Space Agency about it. SpaceX hopes to launch the Starship from Texas and send satellites into space, and then recover it from Australian waters.

Coincidentally, this news came out just before the US signed a bilateral agreement worth 1 billion US dollars (TapTechNews note: currently about 7.248 billion Chinese yuan) with the Australian Space Agency.

The SpaceX has not commented yet, but a spokesman for the Australian Space Agency confirmed that after the US-Australian agreement was approved, various organizations have begun to negotiate with domestic and foreign companies on potential rocket launch opportunities.

The Australian Joint Standing Treaty Committee approved the Technology Safeguards Agreement this month, stating that it will benefit the Australian space industry and provide opportunities for Australian companies..

A spokesman for the Australian Space Agency said: With this agreement, spacecraft operators are expected to be able to provide up to 100 space launches in the next ten years, generating 1 billion US dollars in revenue for the Australian economy.

Reuters said that SpaceX had begun to discuss the possibility of carrying out the Starship project in Australia before the US-Australian agreement was approved. The company plans to launch the Starship from Texas and achieve landing and recovery on the Australian coast.

In the industry's view, in order for SpaceX to successfully launch the Starship in Australia, the US needs to relax its export control of advanced space technology. Apparently, the advancement of the bilateral agreement between the US and Australia just solves the safety or other issues of the SpaceX Starship plan.

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