PRESS RELEASE: Space Port Australia Pty Ltd becomes a signatory to the Washington Compact, Norms of Behavior for Commercial Space Operations.
Moree NSW 27th January 2025: Space Port Australia Pty Ltd is a member of the Global Spaceport Alliance www.globalspaceportalliance.com. Dr Caswell attended the Global Space Port Alliance Summit in Orlando, Florida. On the invitation of the Global Spaceport Alliance and The Hague Institute for Global Justice, on January 27, 2025, Space Port Australia Pty Ltd, became a signatory to the ‘Washington Compact, on Norms of Behavior for Commercial Space Operations’.
The Compact is supported by leaders and institutions worldwide, including the Global Spaceport Alliance. It provides a framework designed to safeguard the long-term sustainability of space for the benefit of humanity. The Compact represents a commitment by the signatories to support the principles described in the Compact.
Dr Caswell said, “It was a privilege to support the Compact and its intent. Space is the industry of the future; we will see many professions, skill bases and sectors likely to move into the ‘space industrial complex’ (SIC). It’s important to reflect modern attitudes towards commerce, business operations, and good enterprise stewardship.” She added that the Compact upholds to keep benefits to humanity as a focus.
Dr Caswell said, ‘Commercial space exploration is right around the corner, it should be appreciated that Australians have a culture of novel problem solving, and in my view this is a strength for space exploration”. To meet its aim, Space Port Australia has a number of commercial and educational alliances within the Global South, EU and USA resident companies and organisations. Dr Caswell’s research interests include space health, human factors, molecular and cellular biochemistry in microgravity and the human microbiome.
Dr Caswell’s describes space medicine as contributing to keeping people healthy and alive, in the space environment, despite many physiological challenges. In her view this extends to habitat, agriculture and nutrition, all of which influence the human microbiome, and human health. In June 2025, at the Aerospace Medicine Society of America annual scientific meeting (www.asma.org) their team’s collaborative panel, “Life Support Challenges for Exploration Class Space Missions: Human Health and Survivability” has been accepted. Dr Caswell points out, “With the current projections for traveling to Mars, just a couple of years away, there is much work to be done.”
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