Powered by MOMENTUM MEDIA
defence connect logo

Powered by MOMENTUMMEDIA

Powered by MOMENTUMMEDIA

Germany strengthens ties with Australian industry

germany australia flag

The South Australian state government has built on its collaboration with Germany, signing a letter of intent for co-operation at the 68th International Astronautical Congress (IAC2017).

The South Australian state government has built on its collaboration with Germany, signing a letter of intent for co-operation at the 68th International Astronautical Congress (IAC2017).

Defence SA, the city of Bremen and the German Aerospace Centre (DLR) have signed an agreement to increase co-operation across the space sector. 

The official letters of intent says SA and Bremen will:

  • Develop a closer understanding and greater co-operation through the pursuit and promotion of joint activities in the areas of research and development, academic exchange and industry collaboration in the space sector;
  • Promotion of co-operative relationships between academic and research institutions in Free Hanseatic City of Bremen, research institutions in Germany and South Australia;
  • Identification of common goals with the view to developing a forward program of joint collaborative activities;
  • Facilitation of joint research projects and training activities in mutually agreed areas;
  • Support of the exchange among universities including expanding the professional competencies of early career graduates and researchers;
  • Promotion of the collaboration between start-ups, small and medium business enterprises in the space sector, up- and downstream products as well as applications with particular emphasis on cross-sector business cases, through the exchange of best practices, technology development, technology transfer and oriented mission; and
  • Support of the involvement in commercial, trade fairs and conferences of the space community of both countries, with the goal of sustaining the volume of business and the quality of research.

The signing of the LOI comes after South Australian Minister for Defence and Space Industries Martin Hamilton-Smith returned from Defence and Security Equipment International (DSEI) in London where he told Defence Connect the opportunities for SA businesses to collaborate with Germany is on the rise.

"The innovation, science and technology opportunities in Germany ... are all outstanding, so we did quite a lot of good work in Defence," the minister said.