The stars appear to be aligning for the Northern Territory's nascent space industry, just as Dr Stefan Maier foresaw years ago.

Key points: Changes on an international and national level could soon help the NT better tap into the space industry

Changes on an international and national level could soon help the NT better tap into the space industry These include the launch of an Australian Space Agency, updated legislation and proliferation of small satellite technology

These include the launch of an Australian Space Agency, updated legislation and proliferation of small satellite technology Space technology could also help existing NT businesses become more efficient

The former German Aerospace Centre employee realised the sector's potential while talking to Top End firefighters, who described their heavy reliance on satellite data for mapping bushfires over the vast, empty landscape.

That led him to start remote sensing company Maitec, which he has now run in Darwin for three years, using satellite data.

But it's the global trends and national level changes that could soon draw others to the region, in a bid to tap into a $400 billion international space industry.

Less than three months ago, the Australian Space Agency was launched, bringing the nation up to speed with almost every other developed country.

A key piece of legislation governing space activities has also been overhauled, to better accommodate the private sector companies that now make up 76 per cent of the global industry.

At the same time, the Northern Territory Government is working to facilitate space industry businesses, with one company in the process of building the nation's first launch site in Arnhem Land.

But for decades the nation's space industry has been described as failing to live up to its potential — so will this be enough to turn things around?

Stefan Maier's company uses drones to verify satellite data. ( Supplied: Maitec )

'We've been left behind before'

While astronauts, rockets and multi-billion-dollar NASA programs still underpin many perceptions of the space industry, it's "small satellite technology" that Equatorial Launch Australia hopes will bring at least a $100 million benefit to the NT economy, once its planned Nhulunbuy spaceport is operational.

Australian Centre for Space Engineering Research deputy director Elias Aboutanios was hopeful about the nation's space industry. ( Supplied: Elias Aboutanios )

This type of technology is now able to launch a satellite into space for less than a million dollars — making the space industry accessible to a far broader range of participants.

The Australian Centre for Space Engineering Research deputy director Dr Elias Aboutanios said this gave Australia a "historic opportunity" to enter the global space sector, after a 50-year lull.

Despite the nation's strong start in space — it was one of the first countries to launch it's own satellite in 1967 — many believe it failed to live up to its potential during recent decades.

"We've been left behind before and we've got a historic opportunity with small satellites and with new launch technologies to come back into the fold, to come back into the space economy," Dr Aboutanios said.

Asia Pacific Aerospace Consultants senior vice president William Barrett said the launch of the Australian Space Agency on July 1 this year was already helping lift the nation's profile, despite its "very modest budget" of $41 million over four years.

"[It] has led to so many phone calls for us just saying 'Wow, it's amazing Australia is now doing something in space'," Mr Barrett said.

Asia Pacific Aerospace Consultants senior vice president William Barrett said Australia's credibility in the space industry had lifted since it started a space agency. ( Supplied: William Barrett )

"As Australia, through the agency, gets a little bit more involved in various international programs that credibility is going to be there."

While most countries have space agencies, only about a dozen are capable of launching satellites — most recently New Zealand, which launched a rocket earlier this year.

Many hope Australia's chances of joining them will increase now the Space Activities Amendment Bill has passed both houses, to change a 20-year-old law many companies believed was too onerous.

Among the changes will be a reduction in the insurance requirement, from the world-topping $750 million to $100 million, opening the field to a broader range of participants.

While some called for the bill to have broader scope, such as provisions for human spaceflight, Mr Barrett said much of the detail will be encompassed in a yet-to-be-drafted set of "rules".

Dr Aboutanios believed legislation should also aim to facilitate space companies, in order to fuel innovation across the country.

"When new technologies come along they open up possibilities that we were not able to think about before," he said.

"An Australian space industry would be able to focus on uniquely Australian problems."

Equatorial Launch Australia chief executive Carley Scott plans to build a launch site at Arnhem Land. ( ABC News: Emily Smith )

A 'dual opportunity' for the NT

Equatorial Launch Australia chief executive officer Carley Scott expects the Northern Territory to see "two-fold growth" in its space industry, on the back of its geography and existing industry.

Geographic features included its proximity to the equator and sparse population, which made it an ideal location to launch from.

She explained that existing industry, such as agriculture, mining and government services, could become more competitive by tapping into services offered by space technology.

"To see a space agency established in Australia, the impact that could have on the Northern Territory is significant," she said.

"There's a real dual opportunity for the Territory."

Ms Scott said she saw the Northern Territory's distance from markets and isolation as an advantage, rather than barriers to industry.

Dr Maier took a similar view.

"Obviously there aren't a lot of peers up here so you're sort of fighting on your own," he said.

"But the opportunities are huge here and the applications are here. So it's exciting to work where people can use that information."

Mr Barrett also pointed out the Northern Territory has long hosted Geoscience Australia's downlink facility, which receives earth observation data to map all of Australia.

In his opinion, developing the space industry would lead to benefits for all Territorians, whether that be through improved telecommunications, internet speed, weather data or improved positioning and location data.

Northern Australia Development and Trade's Luke Bowen and Claire George have high hopes for the NT space industry. ( ABC News: Emily Smith )

'Put the incentives out there'

NT Chief Minister Michael Gunner said his government would be "open to providing facilitation to any other companies wanting to invest in the NT space industry".

Confronted with a struggling population and economy, it recently launched a new growth strategy, naming the space industry among its key investment opportunities.

Northern Australia Development and Trade general manager Luke Bowen and director of economic and industry development Claire George said they had since been contacted by a "handful" of interested parties.

"I suppose that at the moment that is being market-led, where we're interested in talking to companies that see the competitive advantage of using the Northern Territory for their projects …," Ms George said.

Other states were also interested in the space sector, with Queensland recently launching an inquiry about how it could become the home of "research, design and manufacturing" for the nation's space needs.

But Dr Aboutanios believed that for the space industry to grow, government now needed to take an "active role".

"They don't have to do the business — they have to basically put the incentives out there," he said.

Dr Maier said that in Europe governments were offering financial incentives to space industry businesses, and hoped to see more support from all levels of Australia's government in the future.

"That's a big advantage. At the moment we don't have that here," he said.

"So I am hoping that the NT Government but also the Federal Government [soon offer] some support as well."