Yes, we did continue, our latest satellite was launched in 2003, and there are 2 more under construction in the US...

http://www.asri.org.au/australianspace/satellites

US firm pace Systems/Loral wins $620m NBN contract

US firm Space Systems/Loral has won the $620 million contract for two satellites to provide high-speed broadband to areas in remote Australia.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard, Communications Minister Stephen Conroy and NBN Co chief Mike Quigley made the announcement in Canberra today.

The subsidiary of California-based group Loral Space and Communications, will launch two satellites to provide high-speed internet by 2015 under the national broadband network (NBN).

NBN Co is the federal government-owned enterprise charged with rolling out fibre optic cable broadband to 93 per cent of Australia's 13 million homes, schools and businesses by 2021.

Fixed wireless technology will provide high-speed internet to four per cent of premises while the remaining three per cent will be supplied by satellite technology to remote areas.peSenator Stephen Conroy said Australians were a step closer to fast and affordable broadband services.

"This will ensure high speed broadband is delivered to Australia's remotest towns, such as Calvert in the Northern Territory and Bandya in Western Australia,'' he said in a statement.

Mr Quigley said the satellites were designed to deliver initial peak speeds of 12 megabytes download and one megabyte upload.

"It will be possible for retail service providers to offer services to homes and businesses in the satellite footprint that are as good or better than the services many city people currently experience,'' he said.
Space Systems/Loral president John Celli said the two companies shared a commitment to the highest quality performance.

"We're delighted to play a part in helping to deliver much-needed hi-speed broadband communities in regional and remote areas,'' he said.

Read more: http://www.news.com.au/breaking-news/us-firm-wins-620m-nbn-contract/story-e6frfku0-1226265579248#ixzz1lkRVklFc

Mostly that we don't enough space work to justify building (or in the case of Woomera, REbuilding) a space launch centre of our own.....
Billions of dollars in infrastructure and employees for something that would only be used a couple of times a decade....Can you imagine the howls about government waste??? It be even worse than the screaming about the money given to the car makers....

It's far easier and cheaper to rent the space and time from the NASA or the European space agencies.....
And before you say it....Iran HAD to build their own, because no one is likely to help them, or allow them to launch military hardware, given the current world opinion of the Iranian Government....

BigOl64 wrote on Feb 8^th, 2012 at 1:42pm:



Oh rats...yeah sorry...I forgot and tried to use logic and rational thought....Should have remembered it was Bobby/Lastnails I was talking too....
My bad...

Mostly that we don't enough space work to justify building (or in the case of Woomera, REbuilding) a space launch centre of our own.....
Billions of dollars in infrastructure and employees for something that would only be used a couple of times a decade....Can you imagine the howls about government waste??? It be even worse than the screaming about the money given to the car makers....

It's far easier and cheaper to rent the space and time from the NASA or the European space agencies.....
And before you say it....Iran HAD to build their own, because no one is likely to help them, or allow them to launch military hardware, given the current world opinion of the Iranian Government....

Mostly that we don't enough space work to justify building (or in the case of Woomera, REbuilding) a space launch centre of our own.....
Billions of dollars in infrastructure and employees for something that would only be used a couple of times a decade....Can you imagine the howls about government waste??? It be even worse than the screaming about the money given to the car makers....

It's far easier and cheaper to rent the space and time from the NASA or the European space agencies.....
And before you say it....Iran HAD to build their own, because no one is likely to help them, or allow them to launch military hardware, given the current world opinion of the Iranian Government....

gizmo_2655 wrote on Feb 8^th, 2012 at 12:43pm:


What do you mean we don't have enough space ?? How much space do you need ??

You are an idiot. Stop wasting my time with your pathetic attempts at being contrary.