On Sunday, July 19th, 2026, the Australian Space Agency kicked off Australian Space Week by hosting the inaugural Space Day Out at the Australian Space Discovery Centre in Adelaide's Lot Fourteen precinct. The event attracted around 2,000 attendees, many of whom were young South Australians eager to explore space careers.

A highlight of the day was the opportunity for attendees to meet Australian astronaut and 2026 Australian of the Year, Katherine Bennell-Pegg. Nine-year-old Chase Iannuzzi from Melbourne, who was gifted the experience for his birthday, expressed excitement about seeing "an actual real" astronaut, a dream fulfilled when he met Ms Bennell-Pegg.

Ms Bennell-Pegg, who wore a pink-and-white astronaut costume to the event, emphasized the importance of inspiring young people about space. She noted concerns about declining enrolments in Year 12 physics and higher-level mathematics across Australia, highlighting the need for engagement amid national and global challenges.

Chris Picton, South Australia's minister for defence and space industries, described space as pivotal to the state's economy across multiple sectors. He underscored the event's role in encouraging both young and old to engage with space and to boost student participation in advanced mathematics and physics.

The event served as a platform to motivate the next generation of space explorers, with attendees like Chase expressing ambitions to become astronauts and explore planets such as Mars and Pluto.

Sources