Special guest dazzles aspiring astronauts at Space Day Out

The Australian Space Agency kicked off Australian Space Week on Sunday with a brand-new event called Space Day Out. It was held at the Australian Space Discovery Centre in Adelaide's Lot Fourteen precinct, and about 2,000 people attended. The event was created to inspire young people to one day work in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics — known as STEM. It was the first time the event had ever been held.

One of the biggest stars of the day was Katherine Bennell-Pegg, Australia's first female astronaut and the 2026 Australian of the Year. Fans of all ages lined up for a chance to meet her in person. For many kids in the crowd, it was the most exciting moment of their lives. Her presence made the idea of becoming an astronaut feel real and possible.

Nine-year-old Chase Iannuzzi traveled all the way from Melbourne to Adelaide just for the event. His family gave him the trip as a birthday gift, and he was beyond excited to meet a real astronaut. "It was just so exciting," Chase said. "I really want to be the first person to go to Mars and Pluto." He said he has space Lego, space pictures, and is "super" into everything space.

A young fan named Alice also had a special moment with Ms Bennell-Pegg at the event. Alice wore a pink-and-white astronaut costume, and the astronaut told her she loved it. "When I grow up I want to be an astronaut," Alice said. "My biggest dream is going to space and walking on the moon." Alice even asked Ms Bennell-Pegg if she was left- or right-handed, and found out she's a righty.

Ms Bennell-Pegg used her time at the event to speak seriously about STEM education in Australia. She said the country is seeing its lowest-ever numbers of students signing up for Year 12 physics and advanced maths. "Right now in Australia, we're leaving too much talent on the launch pad," she said. She believes space can act like a magnet, pulling young people toward science and maths and keeping them interested.

Ms Bennell-Pegg also talked about what Australia's partnership with the European Space Agency could mean for the country's future workers. "I'm excited not just for me, but for what it could do for our scientists, our engineers, and our future workforce," she said. She reminded everyone that most of an astronaut's career is spent on the ground, training hard. For now, her focus is on inspiring young Australians while staying ready for a possible future mission.

South Australian minister Chris Picton said space is deeply important to his state's economy. Farming, defence, and telecommunications all rely on space technology in different ways. "Space is becoming more important, and we want to be at the forefront of that here in South Australia," he said. He added that having major space companies based in the state gives South Australia a leading edge over other regions.

Enrico Palermo, the head of the Australian Space Agency, said space is critical for national defence, weather forecasting, and navigation systems. He noted that more than $75 million in government investment has backed Australia's space industry in recent years. He also highlighted South Australia's long history in space, pointing to the Woomera test range where Australia held its first rocket launches. Local businesses like satellite company Myriota and launch operator Southern Launch were praised as important parts of the growing industry.

Ms Bennell-Pegg said one of the most common misconceptions about space is that it is just a "nice to have." She strongly disagreed, saying it is actually a "need to have" because space technology supports so much of modern daily life. She also shared that meeting real astronauts as a child helped her believe her own dream was possible. She met two Australians who had been to space — Paul Scully-Power and Andy Thomas — and it left a lasting mark on her. "It was really impactful for me to see that they're just real people that had worked hard towards a dream and managed to get there," she said.