Australia submits offer to ESA for Katherine Bennell-Pegg's 2028 ISS mission

Australia’s federal government has sent an offer to the European Space Agency (ESA) for Australian of the Year Katherine Bennell-Pegg to join a 2028 International Space Station mission, announcing the decision on Friday (The Guardian). The submission answers ESA’s earlier proposal — ABC Australia reported it as a counteroffer — and would make Bennell-Pegg the first astronaut to fly to space officially under the Australian flag.

She would not be the first Australian-born person in space: Andy Thomas and Paul Scully-Power flew as US citizens on NASA missions (The Guardian).

A spokesperson for Science Minister Tim Ayres said: “The government has long held ambition to see an Australian astronaut go to space wearing an Australian flag on their space suit.” The spokesperson added: “We are grateful for the invitation for Katherine Bennell-Pegg to participate in a future mission to the International Space Station and have written to the European Space Agency with an offer that manages the competing pressures on the Budget.”

Ayres said on 21 October Australia’s required contribution is “well north of $100 million dollars” and cannot be met by the Commonwealth alone (Space & Defense). Philanthropists have committed over $6 million in cash plus in-kind support, with some indicative state backing (The Guardian).

Bennell-Pegg, director of space technology at the Australian Space Agency, graduated from ESA’s basic astronaut training in Cologne on 22 April 2024, the first person to qualify as an astronaut under the Australian flag (Space.com). The final flight assignment and financial arrangements remain unresolved.