Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison

Australian businesses and researchers will be sent heading for the stars with government backing and a new deal on space cooperation with NASA.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison visited the American space agency’s headquarters in Washington DC and announced NZ$162 million to help Australians latch on to NASA’s plans to head back to the moon by 2024.

The Australian Space Agency has signed a joint statement of intent on expanding cooperation with NASA.

It continues a partnership on space missions that has covered six decades.