Australian taxpayers paid $466,000 for training of nation’s first female astronaut Katherine Bennell-Pegg

Australian aerospace engineer Katherine Bennell-Pegg at a press conference of European Space Agency class of 2022 astronaut candidates at the European Astronaut Centre (EAC) in Cologne, western Germany. Photograph: Ina Fassbender/AFP/Getty Images

Australia’s first female astronaut, Katherine Bennell-Pegg, graduated from the European Space Agency’s (ESA) training program on Monday night.

She may be unlikely to take a giant leap into space anytime soon, but is on a mission to bolster the space industry and inspire women and girls.

Bennell-Pegg, the Australian Space Agency’s (ASA) space technology director, initially missed out on a coveted spot in ESA’s astronaut training program, but the Europeans were sufficiently impressed to offer her a position, which was paid for by the Australian government.

ASA paid $466,000 for her to spend a year at the European Astronaut Centre in Cologne, Germany.

That helped her become not only the first female Australian astronaut, but the first person who became a qualified astronaut under the Australian flag. Dr Andy Thomas and Paul Scully Power both went to space as US citizens.

Bennell-Pegg received centrifuge, survival and medical training, experienced weightlessness through parabolic flights, and learned about space systems engineering and robotics and scientific experiments.

Australian Space Agency head, Enrico Palermo, said her training had “opened doors” and that she would return “brimming with knowledge, insights and connections”.

“Sending people into space is about more than just exploring. It allows us to do unique science, unlocks knowledge and develops technology that benefits life on Earth – from new medicines and health breakthroughs to how we grow food and conserve water,” he said.

Bennell-Pegg said it was “an honour to be the first”. “And I’m determined not to be the last,” she said.

“Graduating as an astronaut with the Australian flag on my shoulder represents the hard work, innovation and ambition of all those at home: a growing industry of scientists, engineers, educators and more.”

She also pointed out the opportunities to “propel our nation’s science and technology forward … and to raise the level of aspiration for the next generation”.

“I hope my training and whatever comes next helps unlock the path for more Australians to become involved in human spaceflight,” she said.

The spend has prompted some questions about what Australia is getting in return for that money and the selection process.

The industry and science department, which oversees the space agency, said Bennell-Pegg would be qualified for assignment to the International Space Station (ISS) upon her graduation on Monday night.

However, Bennell-Pegg is not one of the five astronauts that ESA plans to send to the ISS. It means she would need to go privately unless a country with a human spaceflight program decided to send her.

To get to the ISS privately would cost an estimated $55m, almost twice the Australian Space Agency’s annual budget, which is $34.2m.

According to the agency, Bennell-Pegg privately applied when the ESA advertised a candidate astronaut intake in early 2021.

ESA announced in November 2022 that it had chosen 17 candidates from more than 22,500 applicants – five astronaut candidates and 12 astronaut reserves. Bennell-Pegg was not one of the 17. Then it offered her the paid position.

The department and the agency have emphasised the expertise Bennell-Pegg would bring back to Australia from her ESA training, her role in promoting science and the space industry as well as inspiring young people and girls and the strengthening of the European/Australian relationship.

The Greens senator David Shoebridge has queried the government’s plans.

In questions on notice he asked the industry and science minister, Ed Husic, whether the government was considering setting up a human spaceflight program or whether it was considering funding a seat on a private astronaut mission, and how much that would cost.

“As the position of astronaut is an extremely high-profile, highly competitive public sector employee position, does the agency have any plans to run a selection process for ‘Australia’s official astronaut’ open to all citizens, not only those who are dual citizens of other nations with human spaceflight programs of their own?” he asked in a Senate question on notice.

Bennell-Pegg is a dual UK citizen, and the UK Space Agency is working with Axiom Space on a UK human space mission.

In March this year, Australia sent a space delegation to Axiom Space, which offers private astronaut missions to the ISS. In 2018, Axiom said 15 weeks’ training and a 10-day mission to the ISS would be $55m.

The Australian Space Agency said it was not planning to establish a human spaceflight program or considering a private astronaut mission, and that ESA offered the spot to Bennell-Pegg specifically.

The Australian Space Agency said the training was an “exceptional opportunity to promote STEM education and careers in Australia, particularly for women”; to gain insights into space flight and space-based technology; and to help Australian industry and researchers to collaborate with ESA.

“Ms Bennell-Pegg will return to the Australian Space Agency with insights and expertise, including in relation to space launch and returns, industry collaboration and supply chains, and STEM workforce development for space-related applications,” it said in a statement.

The Space Industry Association of Australia executive chairman, Jeremy Hallett, said he would like to see Bennell-Pegg on a flight in the short term. He also wanted Australia to have a human spaceflight program in the long term.

“[Her graduation] is significant for space in Australia, but I’d suggest it’s only just the beginning – her journey will only be complete once she’s in space,” he said.

“She’ll have a lot that she can bring back to Australia in terms of outreach.”