Australia’s first female astronaut, Katherine Bennell-Pegg, is championing the idea that studying space isn’t just about rockets and stars — it’s a practical tool for managing Earthly risks. In her early months with the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) and as the Australian Space Agency’s director of space technology, Bennell-Pegg argues that space initiatives should work hand in hand with the Australian Defence Force (ADF) and other government agencies to keep Australians safer and better prepared for climate-related disasters.
Space as a Tool for Earth’s Climate and Disaster Management
“utilise space to our best interests” is a guiding principle Bennell-Pegg cites as she explains how satellite data and space-derived insights can help identify bushfires and floods, monitor algal blooms, and support remote industries. By observing the planet from above, authorities can detect early warning signs, model fire and flood trajectories, and deploy resources more efficiently. The goal is not only to react to disasters but to anticipate them and reduce their impact on communities and the environment.
She points to real-world applications, such as tracking algal blooms along coastlines like South Australia’s, where accurate, timely information can protect public health and the local economy. The collaboration between the Australian Space Agency and civil agencies is framed as a way to translate space capabilities into tangible benefits for people on the ground.
Australian Space Agency and ADF: A Close Partnership
With the space agency’s work aligned with national defence and civil security priorities, Bennell-Pegg describes a model where space technology informs decisions across agencies. “It’s how we can identify bushfires and floods and help to manage them, to look at algal blooms… and to manage remote industries,” she says. The message is clear: space is a force multiplier for Australia’s resilience, not a distant curiosity.
Inspiring a New Generation of Explorers
Since completing training at the European Astronaut Centre in Germany, Bennell-Pegg has travelled Australia to light the spark of curiosity in young minds. She recalls how rewarding it is to appear across the country in both a blue flight suit and a green flying suit, watching “the stars in young kids’ eyes.” Her outreach reflects a broader mission: diversify the pipeline of space professionals and empower the next generation to pursue ambitious STEM careers.
A Longstanding Australian Presence in Space
Raised on Sydney’s northern beaches and now based in Adelaide, Bennell-Pegg is Australia’s first — and to date the only — female astronaut. She notes that more than 10% of the world’s astronauts have been women and emphasizes that diverse minds are essential to solving complex problems. Bennell-Pegg also nods to Australia’s rich space heritage, highlighting the First Nations astronomers and the dawn of the modern space age when rockets launched from the red dirt of Woomera. “We’ve always been there,” she says, framing Australia as an ongoing contributor to space exploration and science.
Building Australia’s Space Workforce
The context for Bennell-Pegg’s message is Sydney’s upcoming hosting of the world’s largest space conference, underscoring a global surge in space activity. She notes that the space sector internationally is looking to triple in size over the next decade. While engineers and scientists remain essential, Bennell-Pegg stresses the importance of a broad industry—every job where you can add a space lens to the role has a place in the new space economy. This viewpoint aligns with a stronger emphasis on STEM education and workforce development as Australia expands its capabilities in space technology and defence.
A Call for More Women in Space
“You need more women in space,” Bennell-Pegg asserts, framing inclusion as a critical component of scientific and technological progress. Her advocacy reflects the broader push for gender diversity in STEM, which she argues enriches problem-solving and expands Australia’s capacity to innovate in space and on Earth. By showing how space research connects to immediate, everyday needs—bushfire response, flood mitigation, and environmental monitoring—she makes a case for sustained investment in the space sector and ongoing public engagement about its benefits.
Looking Ahead: A Space-Informed Australia
Australia’s space strategy, she suggests, should continue to fuse exploration with practical outcomes. Bennell-Pegg’s career arc—from an engineering intern working with C-130 Hercules at Richmond to leading space technology initiatives in the RAAF and the Australian Space Agency—embodies a national ambition: to expand defence and civil capabilities through space while inspiring Australians to reach for the stars. As she puts it, and as the country reflects on its space heritage, Australia is poised to contribute boldly to both space and Earthly priorities.
