IAC 2024 Update from ANU InSpace Business Development Manager, Anupam Kumar Pilli

As we stand on the brink of a new era in space exploration, the conversation at this year’s IAC around space sustainability couldn’t be more timely—or more urgent.

With over 9,000 satellites currently orbiting Earth and megaconstellations on the horizon, we need to ask ourselves: How do we ensure that space remains accessible and safe for future generations, while driving innovation and growth today?

Australia, with its rapidly maturing space sector, has a unique opportunity to lead in this domain. Space sustainability is not just an ethical imperative—it is a commercial one. The risks posed by orbital debris and unsustainable practices will shape the future of satellite services, Earth observation, space mining, and more. And the solutions? They represent some of the most exciting commercial opportunities of our time:

🔹 Active Debris Removal Technologies
🔹 Sustainable Satellite Manufacturing and Lifecycle Management
🔹 Propulsion Systems with Reduced Environmental Impact
🔹 Resource Utilization in Space

These are not just technical challenges—they are business opportunities that will define our industry for decades to come.

The question is: How do we capitalise on this while ensuring space remains a shared, sustainable resource?

As we scope projects and seek funding and global partnerships through initiatives like the National Space Qualification Network (NSQN) we must focus on collaboration. Bridging the gap between research, industry, and government will be key to unlocking sustainable solutions with real-world impact.

Time to make space sustainability not just a conversation but a core business strategy.

IAC 2024 Update from ANU InSpace Business Development Manager, Natasha Disha

Research commercialisation and collaboration are crucial for a thriving space industry, and there’s no better place to discuss it than at the IAC2024 in Milan.

I’ve dedicated a significant part of 2024 to building relationships and opportunities in space education, space health research projects, the use of self-healing properties in aerospace materials, and space sustainability at ANU Institute for Space | InSpace.

If you’re attending the IAC and want to talk more about Australia’s capabilities in these areas, please feel free to find me.

Additionally, you can join me at my presentation session on Friday, titled “Systems Engineering Approach to Research Business Development Management in the Australian Space Industry.” My paper addresses the existing gap in the Australian space industry and explores how systems engineering tools can identify funding opportunities and develop them into successful projects, providing a structured guideline for business/research development management.