WA Government Launches $1.75 Million Grant To Attract Commercial Spaceport Operators

Western Australia is pushing to become a commercial space launch destination, with the Cook Government opening a $1.75 million Spaceport Establishment Support (SES) grant to help companies establish space launch facilities in the state.

The competitive co-investment fund, managed by the Department of Energy and Economic Diversification, opened on February 16th, 2026, and closes on May 15th, 2026. Funding may be awarded to a single applicant or split across multiple applicants, with a minimum grant request of $200,000. Applicants must match WA Government funding on at least a 1:1 net cash co-contribution basis.

The grant can be used to fund site assessments required for planning and regulatory approvals — including securing a lease for a proposed spaceport site — and development of a business case for a proposed location.

Alongside the grant, the government will commission a feasibility study to identify the best locations for spaceports in the state, with the aim of supporting operators to make commercial decisions on site selection and investment requirements.

The SES grant forms part of the Cook Government’s $2 million Made in WA 2025 election commitment, which focuses on diversifying WA’s economy and building local industry capability.

Why WA is targeting the space sector

The global space launch services market currently exceeds US$15 billion and is projected to grow at 15% per year — a trajectory the WA government is keen to capitalise on. Western Australia’s geography, with large areas of remote land and favourable orbital access, has long been flagged as an asset for space launch operations.

Science and Innovation Minister Stephen Dawson said the grant was designed to help companies take early-stage steps toward establishing facilities in the state. “By supporting early-stage planning and business case development, the Cook Government is helping companies take the next step toward establishing space launch facilities in Western Australia,” he said.

Dawson added that the initiative builds on the government’s broader economic diversification agenda. “This investment builds on our Made in WA commitment to strengthen local industry capability, create jobs, and diversify the State’s economy.”

What the grant covers

A spaceport, as defined by the government, is a site equipped to launch, receive, test, or maintain spacecraft and rockets. The SES grant is designed to support the scale-up and expansion of spaceport businesses in WA, attract investment into the state, and increase local space industry capability.

Applications are open now via the Department of Energy and Economic Diversification’s website.